My Assassin, My Lover
by chapellefan
Summary: In the middle ages, Mahoroba fights amongst itself in a bloody civil war. Caught within the middle are two star crossed lovers: Rebel Himeko and Princess Chikane. Will their love prevail? Rated M for language, sexual themes and violence.
1. Mahoroba at War, as always

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios.

(A/N: **Sigh.** I am not going to lie to you people. Kannazuki no Miko is not a favored anime of mine. In fact, if I were to rate it, it'd be pretty low. I'm sorry but there's something wrong when an anime makes giant robot fights boring and pointless. But I am a Yuri nut, so I should write some more. I do confess to liking the couple: in the beginning they fell into horrid stereotypes but managed to overcome them. **I admit it's a good Yuri. Maybe even a good anime**. But to call it a _masterpiece?_ To call it a _work of art?_ That's kind of insulting. Kind of insulting to Princess Mononoke, Spiritied Away, Akira, Journey to the West and other works of art. But that's besides the point. In a way, Kannazuki no Miko brings a lot of oppurtunity to the table because practically every fanfic is an Alternate Universe fic. This challenges me to create a setting, characterization, plot and bring more to the work. So now I put this humble fic into your hands, loyal reader and pray it is quality.)

**Mahoroba at War, as Always**

Himeko Kurusugawa wished for her 16th birthday that she would never grow up. Because when she grew up, she would have to talk about war as all adults did, and she hated war. The Elders talked about the old war, how the Himemiyas gained their own kingdom. The scholars and parents talked about the present war, how the want for independence versus order was a hot topic in all of the brothel's. She just wanted this war to stop.

She sighed knowing this wish was impossible, but who knows. Maybe it would come true. She stretched and arose from her feathered bed and looked in the mirror, brushing her long straw-colored hair reaching down to her waist, putting on her maiden's dress of white head scarf and dusting off the dirt of her apron. She gazed into her own purple eyes and sighed. Tomorrow was going to be her birthday, and she needed to look her best.

Storming down the wooden stairs, she paid her respects to her parents, now passed, and opened the door, the sunlight blinding her for a few moments. She closed the door and followed the cobblestone road passing the horse drawn carriages and citizens, dressed in the same rags as she was. Himeko looked around her Kingdom of Mahoroba, always appreciating its beauty. The surrounding forests highlighted the stone houses of with chimneys burning, the children running around playing Prince and Princess and the occasional preacher standing on a crate, proclaiming ill-omen to the city. _If only the city would stand still, so I could draw its picture exactly as it is,_ she thought.

"Oi, Himeko!" A distant female voice called out. Himeko smiled seeing a full set of musty brown-hair with emerald eyes looking at her, in the same uniform she was wearing.

"Mako-chan!" Himeko cried as she caught her friend rushing into her arms. Makota Saotome, Himeko's childhood friend, measured the exact same height as her but possessed more energy than the common child. "It's really good to see you again; I thought I would miss you when I had to go to the Blacksmith's."

"You know me!" She smiled grinning and rubbing the back of her head. "I'm always there when you need it. Anyway, I came to give you your gift." She reached into a small pouch she carried and brought out a perfectly-tuned golden chain watch. "Mako-chan..." Himeko didn't know what to say. The watch ticked with absolute fashion with clear a clear notice to the second hand. "It's beautiful, but why now? My birthday's tomorrow!"

"Well, tomorrow's no good, remember?" The girl with emeralds for eyes leaned in and whispered, "_We're attacking the palace, tonight._"

"The assault's tonight?" Himeko nearly yelled out, only to have her lips closed shut by Makota.

"_Shh. Baka, you want to blow our cover, especially with all these guards around?_" Makota let Himeko's mouth go as an armed knight, broadsword nearly drawn out passed both of them, his heels clanking noisily against the cobblestone. Both gave a heavy relief that their allegiance to the rebel army was not exposed. "Don't tell me you forgot already?"

"Gomenmazai, Mako-chan." Himeko was simply no good at remembering important dates. "I was so caught up...anyway, I'll make sure to make it tonight. You want to walk with me to the Blacksmith's?" As the two of them walked, exchanging teases and comments, another figure, a boy near her age, bearing a set of brown locks with black eyes ran up to her. "Good morning, Oogami-kun!"

"Morning, Kurusugawa-san." He smiled looking at her. His clothing were no better than the rags of the other boys, but Souma Oogami was different. Being the brother of the rebel leader, he held himself to a strict code of honor, using formalities and dressing himself as clean as possible. "I was hoping to catch you before you left, wanted to give something to you." He reached into his own personal pouch and pulled out a perfectly red rose, its thorns clipped.

"Oogami-kun..." Himeko whispered slowly. She accepted the rose out of good gesture, of course, but the implications of it, the hidden thoughts and meanings of the rose were very complex indeed. She smiled as she put in into her pouch but thought hard about what he said without saying, speaking without speaking. "Happy Birthday." he spoke as he joined them walking to the Blacksmith's.

"So, you're coming to the bonfire tonight, right?" He asked looking straight ahead. Himeko nodded, still unsure. "That's good, I mean- not that you're coming, no, I mean-"

"Don't worry. I'll be there after work." Himeko smiled as she stepped happily. "It's just-" she stopped her speech unsure of how her friends would react to her thinking. This war, she had...doubts, uncertainties. War gave her a lot of bad memories. Her parents' death, her orphanage, the cries of other children who's lives had been changed because of it... "Do we really need to fight this? Can't we make peace?" She whimpered, already knowing the answer in her mind but not her heart.

Souma sighed. "Yes, we do need to fight. The Himemiyas have ruled over us for too long. Sure they give us a lot of freedom, like freedom of religion and the ability to speak out is nice too, but the people rarely have a say in the matter. The common folk should be in charge of how this country is ruled, not some princess who's not even married." His hand gripped into a fist. Himeko looked at him, anger building up into his eyes. "And, then there's the other matter I have to deal with..."

Almost at once, the light tone of the day became heavy with seriousness. Souma referred to his own orphanage, by his father. Souma swore to kill his father for abandoning him to his now older brother. He swore it on the sword he carried with him, hoping to exact his revenge in a distant future.

"Oi, Kurusugawa." A dark voice creeping up behind them called out. "Your breasts are so nice and small, that I wanna touch them." Himeko blushed at the very thought of this as Souma cried out, "That's enough, Girochi!"

"I can't help it." Girochi said. One of the generals of the rebel army, the man having green hair of moss, brown skin with an 'X' scar in the middle of his head and an undeniable lust, slurped his tongue. "She's so beautiful for someone so young."

The man pushed the boy and Makota aside as he approached the blond, with ill intentions in mind. "Anyways, I just heard it was Kurusugawa's birthday, so I thought, 'Hey, what would be the best present in the whole kingdom?'" He leaned her against a building wall, smiling, "and I thought, 'A date with me.' So how 'bout it? Wanna date?"

"Uh...um, Gomenmazai." Himeko breathed heavily, her eyes filled with doubt. "I can't. I have to go to the Blacksmith's." She pushed the green-haired man aside practically running from him.

"Oi, don't matter. I know you'll be at the bonfire tonight." He rubbed his head and gazed at the other two.

"Sheesh. You think she's attracted to anybody at all?"

* * *

The night air breezed through the night, fanning the giant bonfire in the middle. There amongst all the wooden houses, men and women, raising their broadswords and arrows, standing near the edge of the wooden platform, warming themselves in chain mail and the warmth of the flames united for one purpose.

"Death to Himemiya!" A man standing on the platform with six others cried out into the night only to have the crowd join him.

**"Yah!"**

"Death to Himemiya!" Said Miyako, the violet haired woman who served as Lieutenant for the rebel army after a seemingly innocent life as a nun, "For each moment she lives, we suffer through raids and poverty."

** "Yah!"**

"Death to Himemiya!" Said Corona, a former singer at the pub before her life as a general in the army. The girl with ponytails enthusiastically, "For through her pretentious kindness, we are mocked."

**"Yah!"**

"Death to Himemiya!" The girl with thick bifocals, Reiko a former painter whose failure led to the rebellion, said dully as if distracted, "For her unfounded talent makes little to those who have to strive and struggle to succeed."

**"Yah!"**

"Death to Himemiya!" Neneko, the smallest girl with a strange obsession for cats cried out. "Because she's too rich for her own good, nya!"

** "Yah!"**

"Death to Himemiya!" Said Girochi, adorning a green jacket with chains surrounding him. "Because her breasts are too big!"

The crowd fell into a silent confusion while muttering a meek "Yah?" Swiftly after, the man wielding chains received a slap behind the head.

"Death to Himemiya!" Said the light green haired man, his body in a full suit of armor, save his face. "For every moment she breathes is a moment we suffer!"

**"Yah!"**

"Today is the princess Himemiya's 16th birthday." Tsubasa, head of the rebal army spoke, his crimson eyes daring to provoke the men and women before him, "Do I have any suggestions from the audience of what I should get her?"

"A slit throat!" One man yelled.

"No, a sword through the stomach!"

"No, her head rendered from her body!"

The man with crimson eyes laughed. "I'll tell you what. The first person who gets to her first, can give her their present!"

"Yah!" the crowd yelled in unison. "Tsubasa-sama! Tsubasa-sama! Tsubasa-sama!" they chanted. The man leaped off the stage only to be met by three people all dressed in black clothing: A young boy with brownish hair, a girl with even shorter auburn hair and a wide grin and a blond girl who hid away from the others.

"Tsubasa-niisan," the boy started "you were in great form tonight."

"Ah, Souma! It does my heart well that finally we'll be able to join in battle, hopefully for the last time." Souma nodded. He had wanted to join his brother ever since any resemblance of family, brothers and sisters of the orphanage, was killed on the first raid. Ever since then, Tsubasa has told him he was too young to join. But not anymore. Now, he was of age.

"Tsubasa-sama!" The girl said, giving a salute. "I'm Makoto Saotome! Ready to serve!"

"Good to hear it. And who is this?" He gazed at the small girl, shrinking from him.

"Uh…I'm Himeko Kurusugawa. It's an honor to meet you, Tsubasa-sama." Throughout her own speech, her voice trembled like a meek kitten.

"Souma, if you're to be in my stealth unit, then you can't bring her."

"But, Tsubasa-niisan!" The boy cried out. "These are the friends I told you about."

"Souma, be serious. I can tell from her voice, this girl is too young."

"No she's not, she's 16!"

Tsubasa stopped and gazed at her. From what he could see, the girl was rather short, her blond hair reached to her hips and her eyes resonated of purple and of innocence.

"Since when?"

"Actually…" she started. "I don't turn until midnight." The chatter in the air immediately ceased. If the girl was to turn 16 at midnight, then she was born on the exact same date as Himemiya.

"Ha. Hahaha!" The crimson eyed man started to laugh. The rest of the camp joined him as he bellowed. "Truly this is a sign of good fortune."

He reached into his sack and pulled out a sheathed knife. "This is a sign that you'll be the first one to find Himemiya and kill her. Do so, and you and your friends shall be heroes."

"Yah!" The Crowd said in unison "Kurusugawa! Kurusugawa! Kurusugawa!" Little did the blond hair girl know that her story was just beginning.

* * *

The black mask alone suffocated Himeko to a large extent. But she didn't complain. She was an assassin, though this was her first kill. She would do the kingdom a great honor. The army marched carrying torches, with the bowmen in the back and the siege men in the front. There Tsubasa rode proudly on his steed and informed the three of the plan.

"I have an informant in the castle. He'll let us sneak in the back gate as we head toward the castle. Once inside, we'll set up ladders on the north and south walls while having mortar planted on the west and east walls. We can handle the guards outside while you three sneak in."

"But, Tsubasa-niisan," Souma said under his black mask, only his eyes showing. "Won't Himemiya be awake?" This was a cause of concern. Previous attempts on Himemiya's life weren't foiled by the guards, but rather Himemiya herself. She was a skilled bowman as well as trained with knives.

"We were able to drug her wine. She'll be asleep in no time."

"Couldn't we have poisoned her?" Makoto asked.

"Hmm, that would be a cheap ends of killing her. And even if I could, Himemiya's personal dogs constantly test the food. This was weak enough for the testers…"

"But strong enough for Himemiya. Tsubasa-sama, you're a genius!"

"Um…"Himeko began, her voice quiet as usual. "What does Himemiya look like?"

Tsubasa shot Himeko with a piercing look, but sighed.

"It is a face that mocks you. It is a face when you gaze into those dark blue eyes, they belittle you, make you small, unable to be significant. It is a beauty that cause you envy, makes you want to beat it until it is nothing more than a bloody pulp. It is a body that catches the gaze of men and pulls the most primal lusts out to you, that you would take that body and make it your own. It is the face of royalty, a face that must die."

Himeko nodded. Tsubasa-sama didn't exactly answer her question…

_"Blue eyes, blue hair, you can't miss her."_ Makoto whispered.

"Begin the attack!" Tsubasa yelled when they passed the gate. "Souma, I expect nothing better than the best from you."

"Ha!" he said as the three of them disappeared into the night.

* * *

Himeko Kurusugawa, during all of her sneaking, her hiding around corners and leaning against the wall, couldn't help but admire the castle's beauty. For one thing, its exterior was beautifully designed with mortar and gray bricks lining each wall, casually, it didn't come to a surprise to Himeko that the rebels were so antagonistic toward the princess.

Now, the Castle itself was in complete chaos. The guards fought heavily outside where they were being barraged by bows and swords. The rebel army tried to push through the door, but the royalist army had blockaded it. Many of the armor clad guards rushed outside, not noticing the trio, climbing slowly on the ceiling, their hands gripping on the ceiling.

Himeko had never noticed how beautiful the castle was until she was far inside it. Crimson red carpet with patterns that dazed the eye lined the floor. A lengthy staircase was found at the center, leading up to the many chambers in the palace. Himeko had to be careful not to touch the many crystal chandeliers that lined the ceiling.

"The rebels are pushing! Where's the princess?"

"Don't worry; I've got two of my best men guarding her bedroom." The men left as did the trio. They crawled on the ceiling, staying in the shadows until they found the door.

As promised, two very frightful metal figures guarded the door. The three of them looked at each other and thought the same thing. Himeko would have to charge in while the other two would need to distract the guards. They all nodded in unison.

The guards didn't know what got them first, Souma's leg sweep or Mako's suplex. As the guards were distracted, expecting well armed rebels instead of young, nimble assassins, the two motioned Himeko to run to the door.

"Go, Hime-" Mako's voice was silenced by a guard. Himeko rushed in and drew out the knife. Its hilt may have been simple, but its blade was far from it. Made from the finest material, Tsubasa showed his pride by inscribing his name on it.

_I hope I can do well, for Oogami-kun and Mako-chan. Let's see. Blue hair and blue eyes right?_ Himeko looked through the room.

Lavish was an understatement. The room contained a wide closet of clothes, mostly gowns and dresses, while her bedroom had dozens of mirrors. There were plants of many varieties when Himeko saw a figure, veiled in the bed. _That must be it._ She snuck slowly, but carefully, taking caution with each step. She got closer and nearer. The knife was gripped tightly in her hand, her heart racing. She pulled the veil, the knife overhead when…

Himeko Kurusugawa gazed on the most beautiful creature her purple eyes ever laid on.


	2. A New Life

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios.

**A New Life**

Chikane Himemiya was always seen through everyone's eyes and yet no one ever laid eyes on the real person. The bronze statues littered throughout the city made her seem like an untouchable goddess, someone so revered that no one may see the real thing. The rebels depicted her as a succubus, a female demon of Satan with wild blue flames as hair and a wings sticking out of her skeletal features. But none of these depictions did the princess justice.

When Himeko gazed at her, she felt a deep content in her heart. The moonlight through the clothed window sill highlighted her pale skin, perfect as ice. Her hair, a deep blue tinted with green, made the ocean seem dull and lifeless. Himeko's heart pounded as her eyes traveled down to a fitted waist, thin and fit, her legs, formed out of marble. Himeko Kurusugawa felt content with this strange person. This being so beautiful that she wanted to...

"In here!" A muffled voice barked through the doorway. "I'm sure the assassin's in here somewhere!" Himeko, lost in thought, dropped her dagger and frantically went down to grab it. Her nervous pants began to add with the panic to the noise of the door being pounded it. She bit her mouth and hid amongst the mirrors, catching one last look of the princess before she left. _This is Miya-sama? She's so beautiful_.

The knights, their army stained with rust and blood, rushed in to find the princess still lying in bed. The blond girl hid away in a corner, seeing the emblems of the Himemiya Kingdom, a horse with a blue mane contrasting with a green field, as the metal boots clanked into the room. The head soldier, helmeted, went over to check the princess' pulse.

"She's out cold. Maybe for the rest of the night. But she's still alive. Spread out!" The guard gestured to the men checking the various hidings posts in the room. Himeko's heart beat loudly as the sweat from her black mask started to suffocate her. The slow clank of the iron footsteps sent fear running down her body. She prayed and prayed and prayed...

"I found her!" She gasped as she heard the sound of a sword grinding against its sheath. She covered her head, hoping her death would be painless only to hear the crash of glass.

"Idiot! That was a mirror you hit!" The helmeted man barked. Himeko took this chance and sprinted out the door, hearing the knight's voice scream out, "Get her, before she escapes!" The blond sprinted out of the room looking down on the battle occurring in the foyer, knights exchanging sword blows with rebels, maces and knives swung. Her attention was so caught up that she barely noticed the knight swinging his sword, before she ducked and slid down the stairs.

Brushing past the scuffles of battle, she knocked the door open to find a tiled room with cut vegetables and water boiling on the cauldron. She looked around seeing if anyone was nearby, looking behind the door finding a young maid, most likely the same age as she was, with blond curled hair, lying back having suffered a blow to the head.

"Gomenasai..." Himeko said seeing as she caused the blow. Quickly, she searched the room for a way out. The burning fire blocked out the chimney, the windows were far too small. In short, she was trapped.

Pulling out the black mask, she gasped for air trying to find a means of escape. When she heard the clanking of metal boots once more, she panicked and pulled open the cupboard, finding a maid's uniform, lying on a pile of potatoes. Rushing in, she hoped she'd have enough time before the guards came in.

The door bashed open, only to be stopped by a thud.

"Oh, sorry Otoha." The knight said as he led two other men into the kitchen. The boiling water with the fading sounds of battle filled the room. Slowly, the knights spread out, unsheathing their swords, slowly opening doors and hidden compartments. Finally, one guard opened the cupboard, his sword raised.

"Got you!" He pulled it open to find a young maid, shielding herself with her arms.

"Please, don't hurt me! I'm just a maid." The knights, helmeted as they were, looked at each other with suspicion. She certainly _looked_ like one of the maids. But how to be certain...

"Tell me your name, now!" The Head guard placed his iron broadsword, aiming it near Himeko's neck.

"Uh...um...H-Himeko Kurusugawa." The blond winced. _No. I can't believe I used my real name! Now, I'll be killed and Mako-chan and Oogami-kun will..._

"Kurusugawa? I think I've heard that name before." One of the knights pondered, much to Himeko's relief. "Wasn't that Yuki's niece?"

"The one from the Motherland? It's possible." The other knight thought as he put his sword down. Himeko held the urge to sigh a breath of relief but dared not to in front of the armed men.

"Dammit! I hate it when Miya-sama brings transfers in without telling us!" The head guard sighed and gazed at the blond, "Did you see a woman in black running past here?"

"Uh...No! In fact, I was hiding in here the whole time..." Himeko stuttered on words, unsure that her lie had made it past the guards. Just then a bell rung through the castle, the sounds of battle long past.

"Well, we might as well relax. The rebels have been repelled, for now." The guards sheathed their swords and clanked past the door. Himeko gave a gigantic sigh of relief, looking back on the fire, seeing her black uniform burnt in the ashes.

* * *

The rebel camp filled the night sky with moans and aches. Men and women still standing from the bout yelled in agony with their bleeding arms and backs filled with arrows. As always, Tsubasa came without any physical scars but the same could not be said in spirit.

"Where is she?" The crimson-eyed man asked. "Where's Kurusugawa?" The whole camp, either too injured or too oblivious, gave no answer to satisfy the rebel leader. Then his younger brother and the brunette walked up to him, their grim faces showing in the glowing bonfire.

"I'm...sorry, Tsubasa. But we lost her. The guards were stronger than we expected-"

"What?" Tsubasa narrowed his eyes at his younger sibling. If Kurusugawa did not come back, that meant she was still at the castle. If she was at the castle, there were either two options.

"You better hope she's dead, Souma!" The rebel leader grabbed his brother by his blackened collar, showing his teeth, highlighted by the glowing embers of the fire. "Because if she's not, this war is finished!"

"Please, Tsubasa..." The younger boy held his face with a sad look on it, as if a great loss befell to him. "Don't talk like that. Kurusugawa's no traitor. I-I know she's in there, spying for us. Watching for us." Tsubasa grunted in contempt before he stormed off into his personal tent. As he sat in his chair, he heard the flapping of the tent, knowing who it was.

"Leave me alone, Miyako, I'm not in the mood." The woman combed her purple hair behind her ears, letting her tanned fingers curve around the rebel leader's arms.

"But, Tsubasa-sama. Surely, you don't think about giving up after all this time. It would be a terrible shame." She pouted, wanting the man she worshiped all of her life to be the strong, assertive leader to be as he was.

"What can I do? Once they discover Kurusugawa, our plans will be foiled. She'll be interrogated, and the rebellion would be lost." She looked into those crimson eyes. She understood. After years of trying to overthrow the palace, they began to grow lines of frustration, of exhaustion underneath them. But she knew that he just needed...inspiration.

"Tsubasa-sama, what if I told you that there was a way to destroy the kingdom, once and for all?" Her dark and silky words caught his interest. He looked up on her and responded, "Then I'd call you a liar, because Himemiya's resources are unstoppable."

The tanned woman smirked, knowing something that her man did not. It was typical that Miyako did all the work. "Legend says that underneath a waterfall, south of here, there is a cave with unspeakable knowledge, a source of _taboo_, that gives whoever seeks it out, knowledge, power, and victory."

The crimson-eyed man gazed at her, unsure how to respond. "You speak as if this were a source of evil. Something that should not be tampered with." The purple-haired woman smiled at Tsubasa, seeing how he was finally able to connect the dots. "If I do this, won't I be crossing the line, possibly corrupting me?"

"This is war," Miyako smiled. "The crossing of lines is how victories are won."

* * *

Himeko waited for the sunrise, her saving grace. Her plan failed. She had a once in a lifetime chance, killing the princess in her sleep and yet she couldn't do it, just because the princess looked so, beautiful...She shook her head, trying to shake off confusing thoughts, shameless thoughts. She looked through the kitchen window as the sun's bright rays came over the mountain, filling the sky with its vibrant colors.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Himeko gasped. Her ears pricked up to that husky voice, deep yet feminine, strong yet human. She turned to face the azure-haired, sapphire-eyed princess. Her heart began to pound as it did the night before, trying to forget the fear of her target, the ruthless nature of the princess, and to act calm.

She failed miserably.

"Uh-Uh-Umm-Y-Yes, it i-is." She stuttered trying to calm herself from such a presence.

"Calm down." The princess' voice was pure silk. Something people would want to have, such as mockingbirds, a gentle voice so pure that sin cannot have left its mark on it, for it would have damaged its clarity. Himeko didn't understand why she was feeling this way. _What's wrong with me? I can't stop feeling nervous around her. But it's a good nervous. A happy nervous._

"I'm sorry. Have I seen you around here before?" The princess's question ran a quiet fear through Himeko. _Oh no! She must mean last night. Now she'll catch me and...no, maybe I can lie._

"I don't think so. I-I mean, I certainly know about you, Miya-sama! But, you've never met me." The blond sighed out of relief, fearing that her identity had been revealed. She calmed herself to the presence before her.

"Please, call me Chikane." Himeko gasped at the very thought of this. Calling someone by first name was reserved only for close friends. She wouldn't dare call the princess something so informal.

"But, we've only just met. And you don't know my name."

"Very well. What is it?" Himeko sighed. She might as well be as consistent as possible.

"Himeko Kurusugawa."

"Well, Kurusugawa-san. Now that we've met, why don't you use my name?" Himeko felt frightened. What if this was some sort of elaborate test, seeing if she would mis-step and the guards would take her away and she would be thrown in the dungeon? What if the princess was actually being sincere? The blond girl looked to herself, not wanting to offend either way.

"Umm, may I call you Chikane-chan?" The girl winched terribly, hoping not to get a lashing...or worse.

"Only if I may call you Himeko." For once, the blond girl smiled out of delight. The princess meant no harm or foul. Chikane wanted to make friends with her. Himeko gave a great sigh feeling a great burden lifted from her shoulders.

"Himeko, you're new here, aren't you?" The princess asked receiving a slight nod in return. "Then allow me to show you the castle." As the princess led the way, Himeko almost forgot this goddess in the flesh was the very person she was supposed to kill. _What am I doing? I should be thinking of a way to kill her, or at the very least get away from here. Instead I'm feeling...so...close._ Himeko kept these...strange thoughts to herself, unsure what kind of panic they could stir.

Walking through the halls, Himeko finally appreciated the mansion's beauty. Its stone walls held up paintings and statues of the past Himemiyas, mainly King and Lady Himemiya. Even under the glare of the sunlight blocking part of the picture, Himeko could see that Chikane received most of her physical traits from the Queen. Her long azure hair, her thin yet perfectly shaped face, gaunt yet full, and her narrow waist, somehow holding her up. The only contribution from the king was his deep blue eyes. Other than that, he bore no resemblance, from his muscled frame to his thick black beard around his face.

"You look a lot like your mother." Himeko commented quietly. The princess didn't seem to be moved by the comment, however. She stared at the painting for a long time, as if lost, unsure. "C-Chikane-chan?"

"I barely knew my mother." The princess finally spoke, as if awaking from a dream. "If I could, I would ask her many questions."

"Like what?" The blond didn't see it before, but the princess never smiled frequently. There were moments of smirks and a giggle or two, but just as the princess was now, Chikane held a grim pose on her face, seldom changing.

"Himeko," The princess said, before embracing the blond, her arms wrapped around the small body. "I l-truly appreciate your presence." Her words, her warmth, Himeko felt safe as she could, with Chikane's thin arms wrapped around her.

"Hey!" A familiar muffled voice cried from across the hall. Himeko's safe feeling disappeared in an instance when she turned around seeing the same knights that pursued her the evening before. Even with the princess' arms around her, the blond girl shook with fear.

"Where do you get off, touching Miya-sama, like that?" The guard yelled, immediately causing the girl to leap away from the princess' slim arms.

"Captain," The princess replied her voice smooth as usual. "You are mistaken. I hugged this girl. And I may hug whomever I like, correct?" Himeko and the helmeted guards took a great surprise to this, though probably for different reasons.

'Uh..uh, of course! Who am I to question Chikane-hime? I-I just wanted to follow up on my investigation." Himeko felt unnerved to his words. Investigation usually meant along the lines of investigating a possible crime. But what crime could it be, unless...

"I found this black material in the kitchen chimney, this morning," the Captain pulled out a burnt piece of black fabric, causing Himeko to lose her nerve. _The cloth I burnt! I thought all of it would have gone up in flames. Now, what?_ "I'm absolutely positive that this was from the same material the assassin wore the night before. Somewhere, we've got a rebel hiding amongst us."

"Do you have any leads?" The princess asked, her arms crossed at the seriousness of the matter.

"No, but I do want to question your new transfer about the night in question."

"Transfer?" Chikane looked at the guards as if they knew something they did not. Being the princess, there was rarely a situation she didn't know about.

"Um...This maid _is_ your transfer from the mother country, right?" Himeko now understood where she had been mistaken. Of course the guards would eventually ask the princess about the new maid. Even now, the princess' azure eyes gazed upon the blond, as her face reverted to the same cold pose as it always did. Himeko was caught in the heart of the enemy.

"Yes," Chikane responded quickly, "Kurusugawa-san has just transferred from the motherland. I personally requested her myself." Himeko opened her eyes. She wasn't caught. She wouldn't be executed or interrogated for information all because the princess lied for her. _Why would she do that when she barely knows me?_

"Oh," The Captain said, in a tone between relief and disappointment. "That's good to hear. You know, for a moment there, I thought your little maid friend was the assassin. But if _you_ vouch for her, then I better get back to work."

"Do so, until you have found this killer." The guards dispersed as Himeko faced the princess alone, the truth revealed to her. Legends of the Himemiya's wrath drove the strongest men with fear. Tales of disembodiment, hangings, torture, and even death by arrow all ran through the blond's mind. She shuddered in fear, trying to come up with an excuse, only to be interrupted.

"It certainly was nice of the assassin to let me live." The princess glanced at Himeko, giving a warm smile. "From what I heard, the assassin could've killed me in my sleep, but didn't. That was nice wasn't it, Himeko?"

The false maid silently nodded, unsure to be filled with relief or terror.

* * *

Tsubasa finally reached the waterfall, cascading to the river below. His white robe had gathered dirt and sweat from his long walk. Luckily, he knew the camp was left in competent hands; Miyako was his lieutenant for a reason.

As the roar of the waterfall grew louder, the rebel leader pondered on what he would find here. What did Miyako mean of unspeakable knowledge? Were there maps? Was there information on the kingdom? Some lost diary detailing a great truth? He entered the cave, dark and smelling of wet dirt, as he entered. The crunch of dead leaves echoed when he traveled, growing darker and darker.

Then he felt something, a pull. His body began to tingle with this aura of cold. His crimson eyes scanned the cave, looking for whatever the source of this dark energy came from. Finally, Tsubasa gazed at the ceiling.

For lack of a better phrase, it was a Black Hole.

"_Welcome, Tsubasa."_ The only thing more frightening than the entity's knowledge of the rebel leader was its voice. The sound seemed to be a mixture of a group of voices, joined together.

"What-what are you?" He said to himself, unsure if this was the very thing that Miyako talked about.

"_I am...Orochi."_ Tsubasa's fear quickly changed to disbelief. Starving on the streets, the last thing he wanted to hear was the darkness of the other world when the darkness was present in this world.

"Do you really expect me to believe that?" The rebel leader's tone became that of disbelief and suspicion. "Next, you'll be telling me tales of Ame no Murakumo or some other tale intended to scare children."

_"You doubt my existence, yet here I stand before you._" Something about the entity's tone came across as strange. It sounded like an actual being, not some sort of trick or dead thing, but alive. "_Tell me, why have you come here?"_

"I was told that you would help me that you would give me incredible knowledge, is this true or another trick?"

For a while, the entity did not respond. Tsubasa was even more unsettled by this, as if this _thing_ were thinking. What was its purpose for being here? Did it come from far away, or did someone place it here, trying to trap it? If it was as powerful as it was, why didn't it conquer everything by now?

"_Tell me, why do you want knowledge? Why do you want this knowledge to be precise?_" Tsubasa's crimson eyes began to narrow, unable to contain the anger that they were attached to. He was tired of games, he wanted to win!

"Because people like Himemiya don't deserve to rule. Because people who grow up sleeping on feather beds and castles don't know what it means to lead!" He kept playing these games when he wanted answers, information, anyway to win. Why was this thing questioning him? Mocking him?

_"And you believe that you can do better?_" The rebel leader stopped his train of thought. True, the idea of being head of the Mahoroba had passed his mind from time to time, but he wasn't greedy, he wasn't a tyrant. _"Everyone who claims the old leader is wrong tells themselves, I can be better. Isn't that true? Isn't that what you desire?_"

He could lead. Tsubasa could lead and he could certainly make things better. Yes, he could do it for his people, for his country, for Souma. Yes, he could definitely be better. The rebel leader felt his head pound with this new thought, as if he just pondered it for the first time.

"Y-yes! I-I want power. I want the power to make things better! Better for...for everyone!" Yes, that's why he came here, to make things better, to gain knowledge to cut Himemiya's head.

"_Then sit with me, and I will tell you tales of leaders. Some you might know, and some not even the world knows of yet._"

* * *

Himeko didn't realize it, but there was a sort of inner calm about being a maid. True, the work gave her no ease, with sheets constantly needing folding, vegetables needing chopping and floors among floors needing sweeping, but other than that, she felt content. Thinking over the situation, she wasn't able to tell if the princess knew Himeko's true purpose or not. _That was nice of the assassin, wasn't it?_ She kept thinking over and over how that smooth voice made her forget about her mission.

_Everytime I get close to the princess,_ the blond thought as she swept the stairs, _I get so nervous, that it's impossible to even lay a hand on her. But I...I can't understand why. Chikane's not a scary person. No, she's not even a bad person._ Himeko gasped realizing that she called the princess by her first name constantly. Was this a sign of something worse? Was it a sign of remorse?

Being lost in the depths of her own thoughts, she climbed the stairs to the upper levels. She stopped in front of the continuing stairs, dividing left and right to see a picture, hung up on the wall. On it, a black horse leaped over a fence. No, black would be an insult. It wasn't simply black but dark as the night sky, its main floating in the distance. On it, a girl, no more than the age of a child, rode it. The girl's azure hair and ocean like eyes glistened in the sun. _She's very pretty. Part of me wishes we would have met as children._

"Oi! What are you looking at?" Himeko shook out of her dream-like phase to see a very frustrated maid gritting her teeth at her. Seeing a bandaged cross on her forehead, Himeko realized that it was the maid the night before. "Don't think I haven't caught you staring at Ojou-sama like that! You little-" The head maid started batting on Himeko's head with a broom, causing dust to spread.

"Gomenasai!" She coughed, the dust getting into her amethyst eyes. "I-I didn't know!"

"You bet you didn't know, you-" Just as the maid was about to resume her dust-filled attack, a hand shot out and took the broom from her, surprising both of them.

"Otoha!" Himeko batted the air to see a priest, laughing, in a white robe and tall oblong shaped hat, smiling at both of them. "Calm down, I'm sure the girl appreciates the fine work of art, don't you?" He said gesturing at the girl.

"Uh-Y-Yes! I think the painting wonderfully complement's Miya-sama's youth as well as the horse she is riding on. I really noticed the attention to detail at the fence, being slightly broken."

"There see?" the priest said, putting on a grin. "Besides, haven't I seen _you_ staring at the picture time to time, Otoha?"

"Uh-uh" The maid was at a total lost for works, her face showing a very blank stare. "I-I have to go clean the chamber pots! Excuse me, sensei!" The maid's feet seemed to carry her at an incredible speed, leaving a trail of dust as she left.

"Thank you, uh..." Himeko's gratitude was blocked by her ignorance of the man's name.

"Please, it was my pleasure. I'm Kazuki. Kazuki Oogami." Himeko gasped at this name. _But...but that means he's...Oogami-kun's father?_ Himeko gazed at the man once more. His appearance didn't match Souma's at all. His green hair matched the grass on the forest floor while his eyes, smiling, matched pools of brandy than Souma's.

"Um, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this the part where you tell me _your_ name?" The man uttered, his voice being a deep gentle giant. Himeko gasped and rubbed the back of her head, feeling very embarrassed.

"Oh, I'm Himeko Kurusugawa. Pleased to meet you, Oogami-uh...sensei." She sighed to herself, hoping not to mistake 'kun' for 'sensei'.

"Oh, then you're the person I'm looking for. Miya-sama asked me to check up on you, as she's currently busy at the moment." Himeko felt a slight comfort to hear Chikane's concern for her. "She also wanted me to ask you some questions, if it is alright with you."

Himeko nodded slightly, unsure if this was an interrogation in disguise. If she had said no, then the suspicions would be true. For the time being, she was Himeko Kurusugawa form the Motherland.

"So tell me, you live with your Aunt Yuki, correct?"

"That's right." Himeko thought it be best not to mention any facts about said aunt in question. The slightest incorrect detail would have exposed her in a moment.

"May I ask what happened to your mother and father?" The blond sighed, trying to think up of a good story. Luckily, the answer came to her more easily than she thought.

"They...died in the war." Technically, this wasn't a lie. She just left out the fact which side they fought for and who their identities were. Being rebels might have been the reason she joined them in the first place.

"I see. My condolences."

"Oh no! That's okay! I...really don't remember them much anyway." Himeko somehow felt a slight connection to the princess, as if they had a new topic of conversation now.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I lost my wife in the war. The First War, I mean" Himeko looked at Kazuki seeing him smile while he gazed at the ceiling. In that moment, she realized he was being honest with her, sincere. "She was a brave woman, fighting for what she believed in. The battle was long and hard, but in the end, Mahoroba gained her independence." The blond smiled a little. Kazuki, although being much older than her, might make a good friend.

"Oogami-sensei." A boy's voice called out. Both of them turned to see a boy with blond shaggy hair, covering his eye.

"Ah, Yukihito, did you find what I told you to look for?"

"Yes, Oogami-sensei, but I'm not sure what it means. Could you come with me?" The boy didn't really seem to give a second glance to the maid, standing with her hands folded.

"Of course. Forgive me, Kurusugawa-san, but I have matters I must attend to." Himeko watched as the priest ascended the stairs. But one question remained. What if this man were to be Souma's father?

"Oogami-sensei?" Himeko called out. The green-haired priest turned around, waiting for a question with his usual grin on his face. Himeko wasn't sure if this question was appropriate or even right to ask. But still, as Oogami-kun's friend, she had an obligation to fulfill even if she couldn't kill Miya-sama.

"You said that your wife died in the war. D-did you have a child?" Kazuki's reaction was a cross between offense and shock. His eyes shot right open as his brown pupils shrunk to a size of a pin. Was this a sign of guilt or was it a sign of painful memories? Kazuki couched and composed himself.

"Well, I did have a child." Himeko's interest spread. "But he...died a long time ago. Farewell, Himeko Kurusugawa!" The priest said, rushing up the stairs.


	3. Shirosaki

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios. All cameos and references are copyrighted to Tite Kubo

**Shirosaki**

As Himeko gathered the plates, crusted with leftover fish and rice, her mind wondered.

The more Himeko concentrated on her feelings for the princess, the more she wanted to leave. It was bad enough to see the guards keeping constant watch over her, and Otoha seemed especially motivated to make the blond as uncomfortable as possible. But when Chikane-hime watched over her, Himeko's heart started to pound crazily and her forehead sweat began getting into her eyes.

On top of that, there was the mystery of Kazuki Oogami. "_I had a son, but he...died a long time ago._" Was it possible the Kazuki didn't know Souma was still alive, maybe he thought he lost Souma had been lost in an attack or a raid of the village? Or was there more to the story, maybe Kazuki had lied. _But he seems like an honest person,_ Himeko thought, stacking the last of the dishes to her pile. She carried them to the kitchen, unable to comprehend the environment around her.

"Himeko." Again, that smooth and husky voice came from across the hail, the blond's heart began to race, seeing the princess' beauty shine upon her.

"Chikane-chan..." The false maid gasped, seeing how Chikane-hime's reaction changed from pleasant to shocked.

"Look out!" Chikane's warning came too late; Himeko's lack of attention, led to the plates spilling against the wall overhead, leading to every last plate crashing into the floor, white porcelain scattered everywhere on the wine red carpet.

"Gomenasai!" Himeko shouted frantically, leaning over to pick up the pieces of china. However, Chikane-hime, got there first, grasping Himeko by the princess's arms.

"Are you hurt? Did you get scratched anywhere?" Himeko didn't realize it at first, but as the princess's slender fingers, checked every part of her legs and arms, a gentle rising of heat came over her, as if the sun shone over her. She couldn't help notice Chikane's cheeks reddened, a bright red that complemented the red gown that her thin shoulders supported. Then, the princess stopped checking for wounds, and started hovering over her, her arms to the side of Himeko's head, palms on the floor.

Then, slowly, steadily, the princess started leaning towards her, her lips quivering. _"Chikane-chan's so close. I'm not sure, I understand. Maybe, I wasn't nervous about killing her. Maybe all this time I was-_

"My good plates!" The head maid shrilled. Chikane and Himeko pulled apart, a tremendous feat considering their position. Otoha rushed over and picked up a piece of the white porcelain, shining in the sunlight.

"I used these since the reign of King and Lady Himemiya. And now they're-they're...RUINED!" She screamed from the top of her lungs as waterfalls ran from her eye sockets. It was then and there Himeko realized how _passionate_ the maid was for her work.

"Calm down, Otoha," The princess softly comforted, rising and brushing of the dust from her silk red dress. "We can always afford to get new plates. I'm just glad none of my subjects got hurt." Himeko felt a little saddened by this. She thought she and the princess had something special for a moment there. But obviously, she was wrong.

"What's going on here? What are all these plates doing on the floor?" Kazuki Oogami arrived on the scene in his usual priest uniform seeing the shattered pieces of porcelain on the rug.

"This little-little, _jester_ just spilled some of _my_ best plates! I say lashings. Lashings for every piece of my beautiful plates spilled!" Himeko swallowed hard, unsure if the maid was being serious or delusional. She feared a possible deadly combination of both.

"Don't be silly, Otoha. Then we'd be here all night." Kazuki defended prominently, his hands still tucked within the giant sleeves of his uniform. "Still, I'm afraid this can't go unpunished. You got careless Himeko, and sadly punishment must be handed. What is your sentence, Chikane-hime?"

Himeko's purple orbs quivered as she stared at the princess. Legends of the Himemiya discipline were now going to be confirmed first hand. She gritted her teeth, ready to endure anything for her clumsiness, and willing to die for her cause and her beliefs.

"Himeko Kurusugawa..." Chikane began, her voice commanded strength and authority. "I hereby, send you to the stable for a day's work of hard labor." The purple-eyed girl couldn't help but give a sigh of relief. From the stories, she could've sworn she would be forced to live in the dungeons for the rest of her life.

"I want you to report there immediately, there's someone I want you to meet." Himeko couldn't help but feel a little discouraged by that last sentence.

* * *

As Kazuki Oogami led the poor girl to the stables, Himeko couldn't help but glance over to the kingdom below. Seeing the smoke black rise from the chimneys and the people moving around as if they were insects, along the with the midday sun made it a beautiful picture on its own. It was no wonder that the Himemiyas and the common public seemed to be so detached.

But as they followed through the paved path, Himeko's nose began to sting. The smell itself caused her to stumble and gag a couple of times. The rich stench of horse manure was one seldom forgotten.

The priest and the blond finally made it to the stables. The horses, stored and organized neatly in their wooden stations, stood in one row munching on hay. The horses came in a variety; some could have been winter horses, their manes matching their pure coat. Some horses seemed to be locals, brownish and huffing and some were still ponies, in their infant stages, staggering to walk on all fours. However, the horses were of little concern as the priest made his way to one figure that was shoveling hay and muttering to himself.

"Abuki." Kazuki announced in a clear voice. When the man continued to shovel hay, the priest coughed loudly to get his attention. The stable-man still continued to shovel hay until finally, Kazuki yelled, "Horse-beater!"

The figure turned around to reveal a gray man, whose left eye had began to shift around, searching for the voice. "How dare you call me that you little- Oh, hello Kazuki. What do you want?"

For the longest time, Himeko stared at Abuki. The horse-beater's age could have been either thirty or sixty depending on either his voice or his appearance. His natural voice sounded young, but the way he curved his voice, the creek-like way it shifted and moved, gave the notion he was much older. His blue shirt and brown slacks matched his boots, stained brown. His appearance was like a corpse, hunched over, eyes barely functioning and his teeth, those still intact, were yellow.

"Abuki, this is Himeko Kurusugawa, she's been sent here by the princess for hard labor."

"Hime? Hime of what?" The man asked, his off eye and his normal eye staring at her.

"No, no!" The blond said shyly, hoping not to offend the man, "I'm not a princess of anything!"

"But he just said you're princess Kurusugawa, yes? So why are you denying it, you little liar?" The man asked, his teeth gritting at the young girl. The priest sighed.

"No, you idiot. She's not a 'Hime'. That's her name. It's Himeko." The horse breaker looked over the girl for a long time, dressed in her maid's uniform. The stable-man snorted, not unlike the horses in the stables behind him.

"Well, that's a stupid name." The man muttered, as he picked up his pitchfork, handing it over to the girl.

"Himeko, this is Mizu Abuki, the trainer of horses. You'll be under his orders until your time is up." Himeko stared at the strange man, his crooked back, his aged appearance. _Is this the person Chikane-chan wanted me to meet? Maybe he's special to her._

"Abuki-san, what do you do here?" The girl's innocent speech didn't seem to sway the man, as he stared at her with suspicious eyes. Himeko couldn't really understand why the princess would want the blond to meet with this horse man. Was there a reason for this or was she being lied to?

"Look, not-hime! Just because you're sent here doesn't make us-"

"Look everybody!" The three turned to see a group of children, far off on a hill. Himeko couldn't make out their appearances. She was having trouble enough hearing the children. "It's the horse-beater!"

Then, the children started gathering around in a circle, locked arms, danced around and singing.

"_Horse-beater, Horse-beater _

_Abuki, Horse-beater. _

_If you have a horse, _

_Don't let Abuki go near her!"_

"Cursed brats!" The man yelled, his fists shaking above his head with fury. "Get out of here, before I risk life in the dungeons hunting you down!" The children, rather than just running away or shaking with fear, laughed out loud pointing at the man. Himeko didn't realize how horrible children were when she was young.

"What are going to do?" Cried out a boy with straw-colored hair, his garments like that of a satchel of potatoes. "You going to breathe on us so we can pass out on your breath? I can smell it from here!"

"No, that's not his breath!" A girl, her hair tied in knots cried out, "That's his shoes. They smell like horse dung!" The other children presumed to produce a simultaneous sound of "Ewww..."

"Keep talking!" The stable man said, in his own defense, "Maybe when you fight in the war, I'll loosen one of the horseshoes so you fall and break your little backs!"

"Yeah, keep talking, horse-beater!" The children laughed and passed on their way. Himeko didn't understand why the children ridiculed and made jokes of the man's breath. Wasn't a person working in the stables common in the kingdom? Kazuki sighed and told Himeko to start shoveling hay. As she went to a nearby pile, Abuki approached her from behind and smiled deviously as if a deviant thought came over him.

"So...why did the princess send you here?" The man's tufts of hair brushed slowly in the air, spreading bits of strands of his gray hair into the girl's face and towards the stables.

"I...broke some plates." The girl responded. Looking back, if she hadn't been so distracted, she wouldn't be here. What saddened her most was the fact that the plates belonged to Chikane's mother and father. She had no right to break something so precious to the princess, and felt like this punishment wasn't severe enough.

"Really? And she didn't send you to rot in the forests, banished?" The girl shook her head, trying to poke a giant bale of hay. "Then, she must _really_ hate you." The man snickered, sending shockwaves to Himeko. _Hate me? Chikane-chan hates me?_ The very thought of that, even from a stranger made Himeko want to cry. She didn't want anyone, not even the princess to hate her.

"Himeko, don't listen to him." Kazuki said, walking over to the bale of hay. "He's just saying that because he's still bitter about his sentence. _He_ still needs to be here after you're done. His sentence is for a very, very long time."

"No?" Abuki replied, his mad eye staring at the priest. "Then why do the rippers and perverts get to live in the safety of the dungeons while I have to endure this-this _hell_ for an eternity?"

"Why were you sent here?" Himeko asked. From the moment the last word slipped out of her lips, Abuki gave a twisted smile, his grin reaching to the corners of his face. Whatever story or madness the man had planned, it had worked as Himeko let open the doorway.

"Long ago, _I_ was the greatest horse breaker of the land! Nothing was more satisfying that taking a dumb beast, its running wild and being reckless and making it obey your every command." Himeko gulped at this. The way he described making horses obedient seemed sick in a way. "And no horse, no horse, would stand against me and still think it was free. No, _I_ broke them and I broke them good. Except the cursed _Shirosaki_!"

"Oh please," Kazuki sighed, as if a great annoyance had reared its head to his life. "You and your white horses, old man."

"Imagine, if you will, a horse, whose coat was pure white, its mane matching. And its eyes, yellow! Like gazing into the sun itself, swimming in a pool of black swamp water." Himeko's imagination took hold of her, its image appearing in front of her eyes. A demonic horse, it seemed almost real and yet, couldn't have been.

"Don't be silly." The green-haired priest said, in a condescending fashion. "Horses do not have yellow eyes!"

"This one did! It was real and I saw it! I wouldn't let any horse, especially not that horse, get away." He shook his fist, showing his determination of capture. "So, day after day, I would lay a bale of hay so that Shirosaki would eat it up, and I planned to shoot its leg with an arrow. Every single time, that hay just vanished, leaving me unsure how it bested me. Me! Then, I was waiting one day, knowing that hay didn't just walk up and run, when Shirosaki came behind me and stuck me in the mouth, losing some good teeth there."

Kazuki looked at the blond and shook his head, showing pure disbelief that such a thing were possible. Himeko, however, didn't want to stop listening. Whatever sick or perverted or twisted thought that went into this man's head, his speech was as convincing as his smell of horse manure.

"Then, when I saw it run into the great forests, you can bet I chased after it with my finest horse. For three days and three nights, I chased that damned animal through the forests, dodging branches, avoiding pits, even running through several waterfalls. Finally, on the fourth day I leaped from my steed and held Shirosaki by its thick neck. That animal would not go down easy, as it swung me mercilessly through the trunks of trees and against the thorns of many plants. I nearly made him give up, when suddenly, he _rammed_ me into my own horse, making me lose my grip and fall off. When I jumped back up and looked for it, Shirosaki was gone. Vanished! I lost it amongst the trunks of the forest."

"You were sent here, because you didn't capture a horse?" Himeko asked. Abuki, rather than biting back with a scathing remark or giving a bitter answer started to smile, showing all his broken teeth. His smile, grinning and wide, frightened Himeko more than his frowns or sneers.

"That's the best part. You see, during all this time, I didn't get a wink of sleep determined to catch the damn thing. But, sleep wasn't my biggest problem. You see, I was also lost and hungry. In my pursuit, I did not mark my path and I was unable to find where I had come from for Shirosaki's tracks had mixed with tracks of my own horse. So I just rode my horse, thinking I could bare the pangs of hunger and ride home." Himeko nodded, knowing this information: the horses, the deep forest one could get lost in if they didn't pay attention, even the waterfalls he mentioned.

"For an entire bloody week, I rode my horse, possibly going circles, losing my patience. For that time, I was starving. Now, you can't eat the berries otherwise you'll get dysentery and don't even think about eating the mushrooms, they're pure poison. In fact, the only safe source of food I could trust was one I was raising all my life."

Himeko looked at Abuki with complete confusion. He wasn't a farmer of any sort, wasn't he? _I thought he was the horse train-_ The blond gasped realizing the message between his words.

"Now I had a choice. I could risk riding into town on my horse not eating anything, probably a starving corpse, left for dead. Or I could walk home with a full belly." Himeko realized that the children weren't calling him 'Horse-beater'. Horse-_eater_ Abuki smirked seeing the truth written on the girl.

"Of course, when I went into town, the people had seen the blood smeared on me and I was taken in, trialed for a crime I thought was just. Naturally, the _ever-grateful_ and _merciful_ king and queen found me guilty. And here I am, toiling away for the entire kingdom to mock."

"The king and queen were merciful. If anyone else were to judge you, you would be rotting away in the dungeons." Kazuki stared at the horse-man eager to defend the punishment. Abuki looked up with Kazuki with eager eyes, the left staring at the girl.

"Merciful? Hah! Everyday, I am mocked for my decision, my decision to pursue my passions, which if I recall correctly, this kingdom encourages me to do."

Kazuki, remembering Himeko's presence, turned to her and spoke to her in a soft fashion, "What he did wasn't a passion, it was an obsession. Mahoroba allows anyone to pursue anything they want and wish to do as long as it doesn't hurt anyone."

"Don't you lie to her, Kazuki! I know the truth. They let you do what you want and say what you want so that you are left to the dogs of society picking at you, and nibbling away at your pride and reputation. Tell me, do the dungeons force you to regret what you've done? Do the dungeons torture you with schoolchildren singing songs taunting you day by day? And do the dungeons, allow you to live day by day free and yet, a broken man?"

The priest held his tongue, unable to find a clever answer that would satisfy him or Abuki.

"I thought so." Abuki said, walking away. Himeko, listening to this man's speech couldn't help but shed soft tears. She had passions she wanted to pursue too.

* * *

Himeko filled the trowel with oats, the horses greedily munching on them. As her hands controlled the flow of the oats, Himeko couldn't help but hear the horse-beater's words, echoing in her mind.

_"I know the truth. They let you do what you want and say what you want so you are left to the dogs of society, picking at you, and nibbling away at your pride and reputation._" The poor girl didn't realize how awful such a fate was. To do what you truly wanted only to have people mock you, or worse have people talk behind you.

_"Merciful? Hah! Everyday, I am mocked for my decision, my decision to pursue my passions,"_ Passions? Obsessions? What was the difference? Would Himeko be mocked if she did the same? If she pursued something, or someone, she loved?

_"Do the dungeons torture you with schoolchildren singing songs taunting you day by day? And do the dungeons, allow you to live day by day free and yet, a broken man?"_ How horrible, for even the youngest child to know your name so they could join in song ridiculing him. She could almost hear the words the children would say to her if she did as she truly wanted. _Himeko the Harlot,_ she thought_. "Himeko the Lustful. Himeko the Whore."_

As she sighed, being buried in her misery, Abuki came around and sneered at her. Immediately, the girl could tell that the horse-beater did not take a liking to the girl. But when she was under his command, Himeko felt a little more than nervous.

"Oi, Not-hime! When you're done there, I need you to shovel some horse dung! Be quick with it, girl!" Himeko nodded. As her mind occupied her thoughts, she picked up a pitchfork only to hear shrills from the old man, as if he were falling. Quickly, the blond rushed to find the horse-breaker on his back, with a set of horseshoe prints on his shirt.

"Abominable creature!" Abuki cried out as he staggered to his feet. "One of these days, I'll break you good! I ouguta-"

"Ahem." A nearby guard coughed, observing the horse-breaker to full extent. The scene looked awkward as the trainer of horses tended to shake his fist while he spouted insults.

"Feed you all the oats you want!" He replied sending the knight back to his duty. "_Feed you so much until your stomach bursts!"_ He whispered in contempt.

Himeko finally looked towards the stables and gasped. Its black as midnight coat with his dark mane and strong structure. Its beautiful calves and eyes that seemed to want freedom, no desired it. The princess' horse seemed unconquerable, not even by Abuki himself. The horse gave a gentle neigh as its large tongue wet Himeko's face. She giggled, the wetness and softness of it tickling her face. _"It looks just like in the picture, no even more beautiful_."

"I see you've met Sungest." Himeko gasped hearing the low tenor of the husky voice once more. She slowly turned around seeing Miya-sama's deep pools of blue gazing at her.

"Chikane-chan!" The maid jumped back. Embarrassed, Himeko tried to make her maid's uniform look decent. But, her smelling of oats and hay could not detract from Chikane-hime's beauty. Her elegant sky blue dress flowed into the air with a flutter of the wind.

"Himeko, I'm glad I caught you at the right time. This is who I wanted you to meet, Sungest." Himeko amethyst's eyes shot up in realization of this new fact. _So Abuki wasn't the one Chikane-chan wanted me to meet. It was Sungest._

"Um...Nice to meet you, Sungest-san." The girl giggled at little. She'd never been friends with a _horse_ before, but things were a lot different when she didn't live in the palace. For one, there was no radiant and elegant princess who seemed to stalk her all the time. But that she didn't mind.

"Do you want to go for a ride?" The princess smiled, her eyes showing the sincerity behind her words.

"B-But I don't know how to ride! Besides I-" The princess put a single finger on Himeko's lips. She would have no objections.

"Then, I'll show you." Even now, Himeko felt nervous. She wasn't only going to ride a horse for the first time, but with the princess. Her body temperature began to rise suddenly, the smooth heat starting to take over her face, her cheeks especially. As Chikane-hime rode on the saddle, she pulled the blond up, right in front of her. Himeko shuddered as she felt the princess' smooth breath behind her neck.

"Stupid girl!" A familiar creaky voice came out, storming through the stables. "Why am I knee-deep in horse crap when I told you to- Oh, hello Chikane-hime!" Abuki's voice changed seeing a member of the royal family.

"Gomenasai!" The blond cried out on top of Sungest, bowing her head to the stable-master. Chikane giggled, seeing how humble the girl was.

"Forgive me, Abuki-san" The princess said in that smooth, strong voice of hers. "But I plan to ride Sungest with Kurusugawa-san for the afternoon. You wouldn't mind, would you?"

"That's just the thing, Chikane-hime," The horse-breaker seemed rubbed the back of his head and his hands incisively, as if he were making a proposal. "You see, as you know and I certainly know, Sungest hasn't been properly broken yet. Now, _I_ wouldn't want anything to happen to our noble and honorable princess, so I think it might be best if I broke it first."

"I trust her." The princess smiled as she gave the horse a gentle pat on her mane. "Sungest would never shake me off, even if she was in a bad mood."

"But, princess!" Abuki's reaction had become that of spasms, his left eye shifting in all sorts of directions, and his attempt to contain his frustration failed. "They're just..._stupid!_ Horses don't listen to you! Not unless _I_ break them!" His fists began to turn all sorts of directions, as if he couldn't contain himself.

"No, Abuki-san. If you try to break Sungest, I'll make sure you'll work here the rest of your life." She struck the reigns, sending her and the maid running into the fields.

"_You can't hide behind the princess forever, beast._" Abuki whispered under his breath, making sure the guard didn't spot him.

* * *

Riding Sungest was, for lack of a better word, exhilarating. Himeko had never felt this much fear and excitement in her life. As they rode on the horse, the wind fluttering their hair, they laughed as Sungest, rode several times in circles.

"Ready, Himeko?" The princess yelled over the whistles of the wind, coming over the same wooden fence in the painting. Himeko held the reigns tightly, hoping her grip wouldn't let go as Sungest grew closer to the fence. Her heart wouldn't stop pounding. Himeko wasn't sure if it was the Sungest's incredible speed or the princess' body behind hers.

"I'm not sure I can do it, Chikane-chan!" The girl yelled over the wind whipping at her hair, the fence nearing even closer now. Just then, the princess did something that would have stopped Himeko's heart if it wasn't for the gallant steed's racing.

"I'll hold on to you tightly, and make sure you never let go." Himeko, feeling the princess silk thin arms around her, snapped the reigns sending Sungest flying above the earth, inciting delighted screams from the both of them. When the horse landed safely back to the ground, Himeko and Chikane laughed as they lowered themselves, still dizzy from the ride.

"That was so much fun, Chikane-chan!" The blond squealed loudly, her arms still holding on the invisible reigns. She could have fun without being injured. "I wish we could do that again!"

"So do I." The princess responded, not happily but in serious tone, her cold face taking place again. "Sadly, this was such a long time since I've seen Sungest. I'm not sure if I'll be able to due to my rise to princess." Himeko looked at the princess, seeing the disapointed look on her face as she patted Sungest. The blond realized that the princess wanted to ride the horses too, just like any other princess, or girl...

"But..." Chikane-hime began to smirk, her grin widening. "I would love to spend some more time with you, Himeko." The blond smiled and giggled with the princess. When they rode back, Himeko wanted to be behind Chikane-hime. The princess asked "Why would you want that?" to which Himeko replied, "Because I want to hold on to you tightly and never let go, too."


	4. Admiration

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios.

**Admiration**

Himeko felt overjoyed when she was allowed to leave the castle. Finally, she could breathe the fresh air and bask in the warmth from the sunlight while walking amongst the common people. She was a bit disappointed however, when she found out that her day would not be so care free.

She walked through town carrying many of the supplies in her hands: cloths from the tailor, iron from the blacksmith and some very fragrant flowers. As she carried the items in her hands, she nearly stumbled, the pile held blocking her view. Then, unable to see in front of her, Himeko bumped against another person, scattering the fine cloths and iron onto the cobblestone.

"Watch it, you peasant!" A shrill voice came out, deep yet very screechy. Himeko looked up to see a set of deep blue eyes, but none showing of kindness, rather those showing of arrogance, superiority. Amongst those blue eyes, held a pair of ruby red lips and finely curled blue hair. Himeko felt a little frightened when her eyes gazed upon the fine fabric of the sapphire gown, laced with lining.

"Are going to apologize, knave or will our fathers have to make you?" The maid, kneeling on the ground, looked to see that the voice came from a green haired girl wearing bifocals, smirking at Himeko's demise. Appearing to be a theme, said girl wore a placid green gown, its laces on her shoulders brimming with glitter.

"Don't you know nobility when you see it?" This time a brown haired girl, blondish unlike Makoto's, joined in the sneering seeing how the girl fell to their demise. Same as the other two, this one bore a golden yellow dress, frilly to her toes. Himeko could tell she was going to have a rough time. Unable to think of a proper response, she quickly picked up her items, stained with dirt, rose up and simply said, "Gomenasai!"

"You don't know who we are, do you?" The blue haired smirked at the maid, seeing an opportunity to do something extravagant. Himeko didn't want to waste anymore time than necessary. Already late, she wanted to return to the castle as soon as possible, otherwise risk shoveling hay among other things with Abuki. However, when she tried to brush past them, the girls surrounded her, staring and gazing at her with very mischievous eyes.

"Look at the little maid, unaware of _my_ presence?" The girl with curls responded haughtily. "How insulting! It just goes to show you that none of the _peasants_ know what strives and trials the higher class has to deal with."

The speckled girl leaned forward, "Especially those filthy rebels!" Himeko forced her eyes to the ground, not wanting to show any offense. Some of those filthy rebels happened to be her best friends. Best friends she left behind. Once again, her mind wondered wanting to know the fate of Oogami-kun and Mako-chan.

"Introductions are in order. _I_ am Lady Izumi, daughter of the Duke Kenochi!" The blue haired girl pronounced, giving a little twirl and curtsy to show off her proper upbringing.

"_I_" the green hair girl pronounced, pushing her glasses up, " am Lady Misaki, daughter of the Noble Harikiri!"

"And finally, but certainly not lesser, _I_" the blond haired girl spinning around, the frills of her dress gliding in the air, "Am Lady Kyoko, daughter of the rich Yarizu!"

Himeko stood in the middle of the road, wide-eyed at how boastful some of the nobles were. She was taught to hate people like these, but for some reason couldn't look past their strangeness and eccentricity. "_Mako-chan was right",_ Himeko thought still staring at the three daughters, _"the higher class is filled with many strange people"._

"_Oh_..." Izumi smiled picking up a gown from the pile, making Himeko sweat, "What have we here? It looks like a very nice material for a very insignificant maid." The other two girls laughed, seeing how clever Izumi was at these sort of things. Himeko just wanted to run, but feared for the cloth still within Lady Izumi's possession.

"Don't you get it, Izumi!" Misaki coolly replied, pushing her spectacles up. "This little maid is running chores for the concert tonight!" _"Concert?"_ The three girls read Himeko's confused expression all too clearly. They snickered to themselves, leaving the poor maid ashamed of her ignorance, and blushing.

"Don't tell me you don't know about Miya-sama's concert?" Izumi spoke, showing her dress in public, "The one she throws every month? Typical. _We_, the maidens are always informed though we live so far from the princess, while one of the maids doesn't have a clue."

"Such a pity!" the other two joined in, aiding to their misery. They, at once, began circling around her, almost dancing, giving Himeko a sudden dizziness of the mind as well as to the senses.

"Every month, she gives back to us, playing the beautiful instrument known as the piano! There are other performers too, but none that match the brilliance of Miya-sama!" Izumi shed false tears, taking out a handkerchief of rich quality to gently rub those tears away.

"We love you, Miya-sama!" Misaki and Kyoko cheered, wanting to hear more and more of Izumi's over bloated and extended speech. The crowd itself started gathering around the girls.

"It's all in an effort to sway those _ungrateful_ rebels. How dare they deny that Miya-sama shouldn't be our rightful ruler? I mean, just because we're born knowing we're better than other people doesn't mean they have to be so _depressing_ about it. They should just accept their fate and be grateful they have the opportunity to serve at our hand and foot." Several people of the crowd, listening, decided to leave or shoo the girls. None were willing to risk incident striking one of them down. Those were for rebels, not disagreeing common folk.

"We might as well let this _peasant_ carry on with her buisiness." Kyoko said, patting off the lowly dust from her golden dress. "The sooner she delivers the supplies, the sooner we can attend."

"Very well." Izumi replied staring at the poor maid. "Go and rush back to the castle! And if you make us late, I'll see to it my father gives you lashings. Not personally, of course. We're too good for that!" The three girls laughed together, Himeko finally rushing towards the castle. At least they could agree on that.

* * *

Had it been weeks? Maybe it had been months or a year, perhaps? Tsubasa frankly didn't care. Nothing could pry him away from the visions the Orochi had enlightened him with. It was like finally gazing at the sun without its painful glare or searing of the eyes. He talked to God himself, and God told him many things.

God had shown him what it meant to be oppressed what it meant for royalty to overstep its bounds, and how the rebellions would always win. He gazed at them: heroes, men and women armed with oddly shaped weapons, which always overthrew the rulers and made them pay. _The poor people always win,_ he thought.

He saw people raiding Bastilles, giant castles that housed weapons and threw them onto the ground, destroying them or taking them to kill more nobles. He saw a device which, when a rope pulled, let a blade fall down, decapitating a person's head from their body. He saw people cry in glory when the tyrant fell. _The little people always win because they have numbers by their side._

He saw farmers fight troopers, their coats the hue of blood, and use weapons. What were these sticks that exploded and made fire come out of their tips? What were these weapons when loaded, could rout a war? Regardless, the men and women fought and fought until the all powerful army had surrendered and met their demands. _The people win because they are not bound by rules._

But the vision that interested him the most was a man. He felt cold. As the shivers of snow bit on his skin, he saw a man rise to power. His hair, combed back, sustained his brownish hair as his thick mustache covered the upper part of his lip. But as he saw him, his exercise of power, his secrecy, making sure no one knew his true intentions, Tsubasa realized something. People were willing to listen to those in power. Listen and deny all claims of him being a vicious tyrant. Most importantly of all, Tsubasa learned a new word. A word that would help him aid his people to power and his own succession to power.

_Comrade. Comrade means someone you pretend is an equal when in reality, you are better than them._

* * *

Himeko stepped quietly, carrying the supplies in hand. Her mind still lingered on what she had heard: Chikane-hime's concert. Why did all this time wasn't she informed of this? Did someone neglect to tell the people or was there some other odd reason? As the maids took the clothes from her arms, she imagined Chikane playing on the piano, her slender fingers dancing on the keyboard. It seemed like such a wonderful sight, she wanted to know more about it. And she knew exactly the person to turn to.

"Oogami-sensei!" Himeko yelled, seeing the priest escorting his young apprentice. "I hope I'm not disturbing you of anything."

"Of course not, Kurusugawa-san! In fact, I was just on my way to the library. Would you accompany us?" Himeko felt a strong sense of comfort with Kazuki Oogami. Rather than the pounding of her heart she constantly felt with Miya-sama, there was a sort of inner calm Himeko felt, like she was talking with Makoto or...

_I almost forgot!_ Himeko realized, as she walked down the hall with the duo in mind. _During all this time, I wasn't able to find out if Oogami-sensei and Oogami-kun are related. Maybe I should find out, after I know more about the concert. _As they finally ceased their steps and took a sharp left, the blonde's amethyst eyes shot open seeing the giant walls of books that stood before her. With the sun shining out of the windows, it highlighted all the books, categorized neatly with their respective colors.

"H-How amazing!" The girl responded, dashing forward and dancing in the empty space, her feet nearly slipping on the carpet, its red fur highlighted by the sun.

"I'm glad you like it." Kazuki responded with a grin as Yukihito went straight forward to the books. The young boy started to flip pages as if searching for something. Kazuki on the other hand, took Himeko's hand and danced gracefully as the sun's gentle rays beat on their head.

"Now, what was it you wanted to know?" He gasped, his lungs tired from all the dancing.

Himeko nearly opened her mouth but stopped, thinking to herself. _There are a lot of things I want to know. I want to know about you and Souma-kun and whether or not the princess is okay._ The blond realized these questions could offend anyone in the kingdom so she withheld them, with a strong will.

"I heard that Chikane-...hime was throwing a concert tonight. Is that true?" The girl cautioned herself on calling the princess something so causal. Judging from the immediate smile on Kazuki's face, Himeko could tell she hit a correct note. She sighed in relief, that Kazuki still remained kind to her.

"Oh, so you've heard about 'Cultural Celebration Night?' I'm glad to hear you so excited about it. Each month, the princess gathers some of the best performers of the land and each of them contributes something to the night. Some perform tricks of astonishment, bewildering eye and mind alike," Kazuki's hands began to gesture the juggling of invisible balls," While others like to recreate moments in history, using works of art, and pronouncing them to the crowd," His palm placed on his chest, as if he were reciting some work of art. "As for me, I used to be a bit of a poet myself. See if this amuses you."

The green-haired priest coughed and uttered,

"_The strawberries fill my senses with sweetness._

_Horseradish causes a burning sensation in my mouth._

_The fresh pint from the brewery brings delight and shame._

_Why doesn't my robe fit anymore?"_

Himeko couldn't help but giggle incessantly at this joke, understanding it completely. Kazuki took a bow, enjoying the applause that came afterwards. Yukihito, on the other hand, shook his head, burying deeper in the book.

"I'm glad you enjoyed that. Most of the time, I get pelted with rotten vegetables."

"But why do this?" Himeko asked, curious to understand the point of this, "How are you so casual when the rebels could attack anytime? Aren't you afraid?" The priest looked at the girl, his hands tucking back into his robe and gave a sigh. Somehow, he seemed unsettled by the question, as if he asked himself that many times.

"Chikane-hime knows that this war costs a lot, so she feels that it's good that the people be reminded what they're fighting for and to congratulate them as well. The culture, the history, Mahoroba is a kingdom that should joined together in harmony, not through war, or so that's what she believes."

A long silence filled the room, only Yukihito's flipping of the page breaking it. Himeko somehow understood why someone would play the piano during a time of crisis, but it also unnerved her, made her fear for the princess.

"And what do you believe?" The girl asked innocently, hoping to get a sincere response. For a long time, the priest gave no sound, only checking to see if Yukihito had found the information they were looking for.

"I think this is a great opportunity!" He replied in an energetic tone. "The people need to realize what they fight for and these concerts do just the trick! Rebellions may come and go, but tradition always holds out, regardless of what happens. When people understand that no rebellion can break the bonds of culture and history, people will be inspired by it."

Himeko nodded her head, unsure if she was willing to accept that.

"You really do care about this kingdom, don't you?"

"For all of its life, I've never let Mahoroba down. I just hope it doesn't let me down."

* * *

Because of the constant fear of the rebel attack, the concert took place inside a giant auditorium. Walking on its wooden stage, Himeko gazed out to see the rows and rows of elongated tables and fine chairs put out, laced with red padding and fine carvings all facing the stage. The maids cooked up a fine dinner, roasting hen and steer alike to serve their potential audience. Himeko wasn't sure why the princess would do it during the evening, but then realized it set the mood: calm, peaceful, romantic.

When evening came, Himeko was over thrilled to see the audience come and see the performances. Soon, the chairs would be filled as would the guests, celebrating Chikane's warm gift back to the kingdom.

As the evening started, the food still breathed warmly, being fresh out of the oven, and blew delightful smells to the audience, or _those_ that made up the audience. You see, when dusk finally arrived, a group of barely twenty people, the three girls from before included, attended, sat in their chairs and waited for the performance. _"That's odd",_ Himeko thought, _"I thought at least one hundred people would've come to see Chikane-chan"._

Finally, the night started as did the entertainment. First, there was the fire-breather, a gaunt, rather bare man, perhaps, his baggy pants almost unable to sustain themselves. He lit a torch, brightly showing all the audience to see, then, as if it were nothing more than an apple; he consumed it, in all of its heat. Then, a low rumbling noise came from the lower depths of his stomach as he belched out a fire, similar to the imaginary dragons from Himeko's childhood.

Oddly, however, most of the audience seemed bored by this, as if it had been seen before. One noble Lady had to nudge her husband up, so that they wouldn't offend the princess. Hopefully, the next performance would've surely enlightened them.

Himeko couldn't pry her eyes from the next performance. Unlike the last one, it was a fully written play. The play concerned two lovers, a rich prince from a far away land and a peasant woman. The peasant woman had fallen madly in love with the prince, but because of their class, she told herself that she couldn't have him. The prince, however, was all too willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of their love. So he left the kingdom, his responsibilities and duties behind and swept the girl off her feet. Inside, Himeko wished for the same thing, but knew that life wasn't as simple as leaving people behind.

The audience seemed bored, picking at their leftovers, and staring at each other. The blond couldn't help but notice Izumi's voice crying out, "Why did we have to come here so _early_? We should have just arrived for Miya-sama's part like I wanted to." Himeko couldn't help but feel a little discouraged and a little hopeful by this. When Chikane-hime came on stage, things would change.

For the most part, the evening remained the same. As entertainers gave their performances, the audience did not feel impressed. It didn't take long before people started leaving and making excuses to be someplace else. Finally, however, the princess appeared on stage.

Almost immediately, the remaining audience applauded, seeing the princess in her silken white dress, its laces hanging on her thin pale shoulders. After a polite curtsy, she placed herself on the chair and let her slender fingers danced on white and black tiles. For the first time, Himeko felt moved by the music. Its lightness and gentleness moved her in a way that she flew with the birds, swam in the ocean. The rise and falls, its ebb and flow, finally Himeko understood why people waited for the princess' concert. "_Why don't more people come and enjoy this music?"_

Suddenly, the large doors leading outside of the auditorium burst open revealing an old woman in rags. Kazuki, trailing along tried his best to lead the old woman out or calm her or something in order stop the old woman.

"What is this? Some kind of _celebration_ for our country? This is absurd!" The old woman screeched, gathering the attention of everybody, save the princess, deep in her piano playing.

"Please, you just have to understand, Miya-sama's only gain is to-"

"You should all be ashamed of yourselves!" The old woman's slur matched her yellow teeth, crooked, unpleasant yet present at the concert. Himeko wanted nothing more than to shoo the old woman out, as she loomed over the guests, piling the dishes. But she wouldn't dare embarrass Chikane, not during her special night.

"Here you are, spoiling yourselves when you should be finding a way to eliminate the rebel threat! I am shocked and appalled we allow such _nonsense_ to happen when there are matters to be dealt with. And _you,_ princess!" The old woman pointed, Kazuki trying to cover the crooked mouth, failing in the process.

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself. Here you are, playing the piano like some child when your kingdom needs you! Do you believe that _music_ will solve all our problems? Are you _trying_ to make yourself feel better? All I see is some princess who doesn't know what to do but play around. What we need is a _real leader_. Someone who rout this kingdom and do something important for a change!"

"Miya-sama's just giving food for the soul, something to inspire the people!" Kazuki said in the princess' defense, though the princess herself was clearly not paying attention as she concentrated on the piano.

"Food for the soul, what nonsense! Why bother with feeding the souls when we can't even feed our own stomachs!" The old woman left, her speech done. Regardless of how well Miya-sama was playing, the mood was obviously ruined. Slowly, one by one, the audience excused themselves from their tables and left the auditorium. None of the maids or Kazuki tried to stop them, the damage had already been done and it was only a matter of time before the giant room would become completely empty.

"But I want to see Miya-sama play!" The blue haired noble cried out, trying to resist the tugging motion of the Duke. Not even Chikane-hime's score could sway their decision now.

"Now, now, Izumi. It's time to leave."

"I love you, Miya-sama!" Izumi screamed out before she was tugged away by her father. At last, the inevitable had occurred. The music had failed to reach its audience, deafening themselves. As the princess continued to press keys, her playing became slower and slower. Her fingers lifted from the keys, and reached for the cover, about to rest for the night. Then suddenly, a single person appeared, below the stage, listening ever carefully. The amethyst eyes met the lake-water eyes. A single presence, sent murmurs through the auditorium, the maids and Kazuki watching what had unfolded.

"Aren't you going to finish your song?" Himeko asked. Chikane smiled, letting her fingers grace the ballroom floor of the piano, dancing. As her fingers swept the air, Himeko took a seat, staring the princess ever loyal, ever patient. For the rest of the night, piano music filled the air reaching at least one person. It was a private concert between two girls.


	5. Llegaron del Rey y su Sombres

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios. Any and all cameos are copyrighted to Tite Kubo.

**(A/N:** I just saw Wall-e. It's amazing, go see it.

No seriously, go see it.

It's an encompassing love tale, as good if not better than Chikane and Himeko, while sending out a deep subplot of what happens when people distract themselves in self-indulgement and ignore the environment around them. Go see it. It's that good.)

* * *

**Llegaron del Rey y su Sombres**

**(Or Arrival of the King and his Shadows)**

For the most part, Himeko adapted well to her duties as a maid in the castle. Even now as she swept the bright red carpet, her mind wondered to what had happened the night before. When Chik- Himemiya-hime approached her and smiled at her and when especially when she said, _"I truly enjoy your presence, Himeko."_ The straw-haired girl's thoughts betrayed her, made her think things she wasn't supposed to think. Feeling confused, she looked from her maid uniform to see the sparkle of her elegant hair with those deep blue eyes, those eyes that spoke of honesty and kindness.

"Chikane-chan!" she gasped, not realizing she addressed the princess so casually.

"Himeko. Would you bring some tea into the conference room? I would greatly appreciate your presence." The princess' request made the straw-haired girl feel week, light on her toes. What did enjoy her presence mean? As the princess walked away, Himeko held her pounding heart, beating quickly at the presence of royalty, beating of fear, no, something stronger than fear. Himeko sighed and thought of how strange she always was. She put her broom aside and tip-toed down to the kitchen.

Finding her way to the kitchen, she quickly prepared the tea and asked Otoha directions to the conference room. She entered a large set of doors to see many of the elders, including Kazuki Oogami, dressed in white robes. She couldn't help but notice Chikane's thin laced pitch black dress she had on, with her crown completing her perfect image.

"There's no point with negotiating with the rebels now." Kazuki announced, probably to a question, "They've begun shooting our messengers on sight." Slowly, Himeko set out the cups and slowly poured the green liquid to each member. When she arrived at Chikane's seat, the princess gave a smile so graceful, that the poor maid almost spilled the tea. "But full scale war would destroy us. Too many of the people have joined the rebels. It's a wonder they haven't overthrown us!"

"We can't stop now." The princess spoke. Himeko blushed at the sound of her voice. Deep, yet filled with passion. Assertive, yet filled with kindness. "I won't let my people kill themselves over petty issues. If I must step down, I will."

"Don't be absurd!" Kazuki scolded, his brown eyes staring at her, his hands still tucked inside his sleeves. "You step down now, and complete chaos will flood the streets. Complete anarchy is not the solution."

"I _was_ suggesting compromise, Kazuki-sensei." Himeko knew beforehand that compromise was near impossible. With Tsubasa set with overthrowing the whole Himemiya line, and royalists remaining firm on their stance that Himemiya should be the ruling party, she knew that no constitution could be formed without someone losing. As Kazuki dismissed the idea once more, one of the elders, an old woman spoke up. "Perhaps it is time we asked the mother country for help."

The room of bickering old men and complaining diplomats fell dead silent. Himeko, felt the sting of this effect and slowly pulled away from pouring the tea. Much of the men looked at the old woman with contempt when Kazuki finally broke the silence.

"Are you mad?" His voice started to roughen as his temper increased. "We fought Pantera for our independence for years and now you want to throw that away?" Himeko didn't know much about the war that made Marobaha an independent nation (she was yet to be born), but she did know the basics: Pantera was a country of Japanese descent but, they were madly in love with Spaniard culture. Eventually, a falling out took between the King and the Himemiyas. The Himemiyas fought a war with a few hundred men and successfully became their own state.

"I am not without reason, Kazuki, if you'll just listen-"

Kazuki would have none of it as he stood up to assert his place. "King Luppi is insane. His rule over Pantera suffocated us with his constant demands to emulate him in statues and humbling our women. Do you want to-"

"Kazuki!" Chikane raised her voice in a slow and gentle manner. The green-haired priest looked at the princess and gave a heavy sigh. Kazuki looked to the old woman and bowed. "I have overstepped my place. Gomenasai."

"Now if you'll just listen to me, you know that King Luppi is no more." By the time the old woman finished her sentence, the conference of old men and women began to whisper furiously to themselves. The controversy of a king who ruled over them must have been important, Himeko thought to herself. Already people spouted questions. "How did he die?" "Who was his successor?" "In what state is Pantera in now?"

"Well, I don't know much about the details, but my contact in the Motherland explained to me that, ironically enough, Luppi was usurped by none other than the one Luppi stole the throne from in the first place." The air was sucked out of the room and into the lungs of the old men and women. Himeko gazed at the people to see that all but Chikane were distraught. Kazuki, still standing from his seat, began to pale from the sound of this news.

"Y-You mean, the Vulgarian Noise?"

"Did I stutter? Yes, that's exactly what I mean."

"U-um..." Himeko's timid voice broke the silence. "W-who's he?"

"The Vulgarian Noise," Kazuki said, starting to ease into his chair, "Is a warrior like no other. His origins are unknown, but his fame in battle has earned him many victories. He's...psychotic. As if fighting is all he thinks about. And if he's in charge-"

"Then he's just the answer we're looking for." Chikane's voice echoed through the conference room, as gasps and sidebar conversations began at the very thought of inviting him here.

"Chikane-hime, I must object." Kazuki gazed at the princess with a concerned look. "The moment you invite the Vulgarian Noise here, Pantera will see this as an opportunity to take back this state. Do not make that mistake!"

"The only mistake I made..." Chikane's voice grew terse, asserting her role as royal figurehead. "Is to not accept assistance in the first place. If this man is the military genius you claim to be, then his skills will be invaluable to our service. Besides, I am merely suggesting a temporary alliance, Kazuki-sensei."

Kazuki rose from his chair and stood straight up. "We fought for 10 years for our independence. If we ask Pantera for aid, we will become dependent on them. Once you join with someone else, you will rely on them and will not be able to walk on your own for the rest of your life." Himeko finally noticed strangest of all of Kazuki's features. There were multiple lines under his eyes as he spoke. The green-haired priest seemed to speak from the soul, as if talking about Pantera gave him great pain. Finally, he stepped towards the door and turned back to the princess, still seated.

"If you do this, you do this without me, Chikane-hime." The princess looked hard at her mentor. It was not an easy choice, to meet with foreigner without the help of her personal adviser. But, just as she was given the crown, she made the decision that would hopefully restore her country. "Very well, we shall meet with the King and try to reason with him."

"I'll call my contact and see if we can get an arrangement with the King and his Fraccion."

"Excuse me. His what?" The princess asked. The way the last word, sounded, ending with and -cion was as if it were of Spanish descent.

"His...entourage. Needless to say, he doesn't go far without them."

* * *

The company of Pantera was to arrive at midday with a carriage. A tour of the castle was to be expected as well as a complementary lunch. During his visit, the party, princess included, was only to address the king as 'El Rey', the Spanish word for 'King'. Hundreds of maids, hearing the announcement, rushed through the castle and cleaned it, whether sweeping up every last bit of dust or adding fresh flowers to the vases. Otoha constantly sprinted from one side of the castle to another cleaning all 48 bedrooms, before collapsing in a puddle of her own sweat.

Finally, the day arrived when the King and company would arrive. Chikane, the royal advisers and a handful of maids stood outside the glistening sun as it beat down on them. Himeko could not help but stare at the princess, wearing not only her shining crown but a perfectly silken dress, bleached in the sunlight. She kept gazing at her beauty until the princess returned glances and Himeko looked away.

As expected, several horsemen came wearing white loose robes, their torsos revealed. In front of them, rode a tall man with slanted eyes and his hair tied in a long ponytail, with a large scroll. Himeko stared oddly at the background men who carried odd large instruments, similar to cellos, but smaller and with no bow.

"Presenting from the Spanish country of Pantera," a large lavish horse drawn carriage pulled out, the horses large and black. "Rey de los Reyes."

The men with strange instruments plucked and ran their fingers through the strings, giving an odd feeling to Himeko, a foreign sound. The door blew opened to reveal a white sandaled foot. The man, rather than holding a tanned or dark tone to his skin, paled in comparison. Unlike other royals who wore lavish gowns or colorful garments, had an opened shirt revealing an inked picture of the number 6 printed on his skin. His eyes, though the same color of hue as Princess Himemiya's, lacked any sort of sincerity and showed cruelty and bloodlust along with same colored markings to the side of his eyes. But strangest of all, his short grass-like blue hair lacked the green tint of Chikane's but rather, held a lighter tone, full of vitality.

But all the while, the king had a sort of bored look to him. His stance, or lack there of, was slouched and his hands were settled in his lower skirt of a dress which covered his legs. As an odd sort of custom, his sleeves were rolled up showing his pale forearms. He rotated his neck, as if it were stiff from the ride over here and yawned, looking at the princess and finally recognizing her.

"So, you're Himemiya." Himeko didn't know much about royalty, but she certainly knew that addressing someone without a honorfic, represented an insult. The way the King spoke could be compared to a street person than a royal figure-head.

"We are pleased to meet you. Now if I may-"

"Oi, oi, oi! Perhaps I didn't 'hear' you correctly." He plucked out ear wax with his pinky.

"Forgive me, El Rey_._" The princess seemed awfully pained to speak these words. "Allow me to make it up to you by showing you around the Himemiya castle." The Princess stuck out her hand in an offer of friendship. The blue haired king stared at the hand, then at Himemiya and spat in it.

It was then that Himeko understood the full extent of the situation. The country of Mahoroba needed the aid of foreign help so badly, that they were willing to tolerate any form of insult. In truth, the King knew about this situation and decided to take advantage of it, knowing that Mahoroba couldn't afford to lose. "_How can Chikane-chan stand him?"_

As Otoha offered the Princess a handkerchief, the King's blue eyes gazed at an old man, one of the advisers, straightening out his back.

"Oi, you!"

"Yes, sir?" The man looked injured and tired.

"You gave me a dirty look." Himeko then noticed how his little mouth grew to be an immense size, as showing off his bleached molars.

"I have no idea what you're referring to." He stood firm, his eyes gazing forward.

"Yes, you do!" The King grinned, causing Himeko to gasp. "You gave me a dirty look when I spat into her hand!"

"I assure you I did no such-" The Blue haired king right-hooked his fist into the Elder's cheek, knocking him down.

"Tate-san!" Chikane cried as she, as well as several maids, kneeled over him. As he sat up, he held his nose, blood leaking through the gaps of his fingers.

"How dare you-"

"Forgive me, El Rey!" The old man cried out quickly interrupted to avoid potential conflict. "I…was too prideful to admit it. Forgive me."

The King grinned with pleasure. "Tsch. Just make sure it doesn't happen again."

* * *

The guard fell face flat on the dirt, staggering to get up only to have a sandaled foot shove their face back into the ground. The man's foot belonged to a chubby man with fuzzy brown hair, an agent of 'El Rey'.

"Oi," The king barked, leaning on the fence, "I thought I told you to keep your guard up, Baka!" At the king's request, Chikane-hime offered for her best men to fight the king's entourage. While the knights, clothed in full armor were more than willing to accept the challenge, they were made short work of by 

the king's men. There, on the dirt, a dug circle acted as the ring while the sun's rays shone the knight's failure.

Himeko didn't realize how much Chikane had to put up with to endure such a cost. There, seated on her throne, the princess' frustration never left the cold stare on her face, seeing her own men being mocked at, laughed at. Himeko sighed, standing next to the other maids.

"Yylfordt!" A man with sun-like blond feathered hair, almost like that of a woman stuck to attention. "Teach that idiot to fight!" Himeko frowned after hearing those words. "_Even with all of his power, he shouldn't have the right to call Chikane-chan's men like that."_ The blond-haired man stepped into the ring, another guard taking the other's place. Drawing his sword, he charged the king's man, only to be punched in the stomach, an imprint left on the armor. Obviously enjoying himself, Yylfordt, drew his sword, flipped his hair and charged. His slashes, quick and sharp, left the guard helpless, without a sword, and his armor marred with scratches.

"Baka, baka, baka!" The king yelled from the sidelines. His light blue eyes widened with every belittlement. "I said teach him to fight! Stop taking it easy on them and show them how we fight." Himeko realized that the king wasn't scolding or mocking Chikane's army. He was scolding his own men. The king's frustration eventually led him to get up and approach his men. As he walked with his back hunched, Himeko stared at him for a long time only to grab his own man and deliver a devestating blow to his stomach.

"Did you all grow weak or did you all just suck the whole time?" He yelled, looking at his men, seeing the annoyance beat down from his eyes. "I might as well show you how a real king fights."

For some reason, the king started to grin wildly. His usual lazy manner became harsher and gave away to a psychotic smile on his face. Himeko stared at the man. When the very thought of him fighting came to him, he started grinning wildly. Himeko shook her head looking at the man, becoming ever excited at his upcoming fight. _"This man doesn't just like fighting._" Himeko thought as she stared at the king. "_He enjoys it as if it were a sport. No, like it was a religion!_"

Just as the other guard was carried away, the captain stepped up and drew his broadsword out. An eerie calm settled between the king and the captain as they circled around each other for a time. Himeko glanced at the princess, seeing her quiet fury beat within her eyes. It must have been hard, just sacrificing everything for your country, being humiliated in public like this. "_Chikane-chan."_

"You strong?" El Rey asked, having a smirk on his face.

"Strong?" The captain's muffled voice came out. "I'll have you know that I once defeated Girochi, one of the rebel leaders. He is a mountain of a man compared to you, El Rey."

"Good, cause if you weren't strong..." The King said, cracking his knuckles. "I might accidentally kill you."

At last, the guard captain charged, his sword drawn out when the king landed a one of his jabs to the face, crushing the metal shielding the face. The captain staggered, only to glance at a pair of blue eyes gaze upon him, as if crushing him in more ways than one. That didn't last very long, as El Rey picked the knight up, plucked him on his feet and hooked his arm to his face.

"You're weak." He laughed, starting to jab his opponent. His white knuckles began to pummel the captain, the sunlight starting to make them mesh together like a singular image.

"Your men are weak." He hopped in the air and placed his heels to the torso of the guard, the latter being unable to react other than hold his stomach.

"This whole place is weak." The king's voice began to grow louder, laughing and mocking, with each blow, each knee to the chin, each white hot knuckle to the face, each crushing defeat. Himeko shielded her eyes unable to bear against the abuse with each groan and cry for mercy. She had seen violence before, but none who actually enjoyed it on such a scale. She wondered if El Rey was human at all, being as empty and as hollow as a demon or a monster.

"Why the hell's this place so freakin' weak?" He yelled, finally knocking the guard outside the ring sending him crashing into other guards. A pair of nurses picked the guard up, and helped him travel to the infirmary, hoping his wounds would be healed. The king's men looked awed, belittled by the act before them. Something about this man commanded that people followed him, sent those messages to obey or die from his stance. Himeko hated that, the way he demanded people do something instead of being courteous. As the king sighed from his long workout, he picked up a cloth from his pocket, wiped his forehead and dumped it on the floor.

"Otoha-san, would you please pick that up?" Chikane-hime asked. The head maid had bent over to pick up the cloth when a deep voice came out, "No!"

El Rey's voice had stopped the maid in her tracks, unsure how to respond.

"Don't ask her to pick it up, _tell her_ to pick it up!" Chikane stared at the king's request as if it were a bold challenge on her authority. She remained calm and responded, "I will not, El Rey. She will still pick it up, regardless."

"Baka!" The king cried out, his grin enlarging. "What good's power when you don't remind people you have it?" The king drew his kantana and swung it only to stop inches before Otoha's neck.

"Pick that up, woman, or I'll cut your freakin' head off." Otoha scrambled over the cloth, snatching it from the floor.

"That wasn't necessary. People don't always respond to threats and intimidation." Chikane-hime rose up and stared at the king. Slowly and steadily, El Rey sheathed his katana and loomed over the princess, his eyes filled with mockery.

"What does a spoiled brat know about running things?" The king's blue eyes stared down at the princess, his shadow engulfing her. "What the hell does a spoiled brat know about war, when she didn't have to work for anything?" Himeko despise quickly turned into hate, hearing the king's vulgar tone with the princess. "That's the problem with royalty. They don't work for anything, so they think spoiling people the same way they were spoiled will work. And now your country's asking for more and more and more!."

"Your kingdom is a spoiled bitch who won't shut up! They want more and more. You think giving them what they want is enough. But anyone who's had to fight for power, anyone who's had to slave and fight and kill for power, knows when a bitch wants more, you beat them, and tell them, 'Shut the hell up!'"

Chikane's resolve had become hardened. Her customs and way of life were not to be thrown away by some vulgar man's words. She took a deep breath and calmly explained, "El Rey, the things that may work in your country may not work here. Please understand-"

"Then why the hell's my country a military power while your country fights itself? Then why the hell's my country free of rebels who want to overthrow me? Then why the hell's your country asking my country for help!" Chikane thought about this fact for a long time, and for once had no simple or polite answer. She just stood there, looking into the king's blue eyes.

* * *

Afterwards, the guests were treated to a hearty lunch. The King took it upon himself to much of the roast pig, the succulent game hen and slurped the tomato bisque up. His entourage, consiting of several strange figures, including the Chinese man who read the announcement, the man who's skull was bandaged, and one large man with hair parting to the side, consumed the food greedily, throwing bones at the maids to pick up. The Princess' helpings were meager at best.

"Pardon me, El Rey but I believe we have matters to discuss."

"Oh?" The blue-eyed King responded, finally ceasing to fill the empty hole of his stomach. "You mean how you want my army to help this piece of crap of a country?" Himeko covered her ears when she had heard this. The king spoke in such a vulgar tongue that she couldn't help but shut her ears.

Chikane grit her teeth but kept her dignified tone. She now regretted Kazuki's advice not to join forces with Pantera, but it was too late for that now. "We would welcome your help. If you could-"

"Oi" he said, standing up and plucking an apple from the fruit bowl. Steadily, his leaned stance came over the Princess and glared at her. "Do you know who I am? Do you! I am Rey de los Reyes, King of Kings. And look at you, Himemiya." Biting from the crimson apple, he leaned it, smacking it in front of her face. Himeko worried if the Princess was in any physical danger.

"You're a princess. You don't got no husband, no love. So I'll lend you some of my army if you admit one thing."

"And that is…?"

"Get on your knees." The Princess glared at him at this request. No one in the Himemiya line bowed down before anyone, especially not to someone of vulgar nature. She sat in her chair, unwilling to get up for him.

"Get on your knees before I change my mind!" Mahobara, she thought. Her home, her family's name and her people were in desperate need. If she couldn't save it, then all was lost. Chikane-hime sighed and bowed on her knees.

_"Stop it"_, Himeko thought. "_You're not like this. You're much stronger than this."_ The maid's heart beat as if something made her breathing heavy. Seeing Chikane forced on her knees like that was unbearable. Himeko closed her eyes and looked away.

"Say, I, Chikane Himemiya."

"I, Chikane Himemiya."

"Am a slut."

"Am…a slut." She gritted through her words.

_Stop it, Chikane-chan_. Now, Himeko's pain was so similar to Chikane's that she forced her eyes to stare at the table, where bones, meat and a strangely sharp knife glistened to her eyes.

"I cannot provide an heir because I am a hag."

"I cannot-"

"LOUDER!" He cried.

"Cannot provide an heir because I am a hag." She said louder and even more quickly.

"And above all else," El Rey's voice cried out in a baritone voice.

_"Stop it."_

"I, Chikane Himemiya,"

"Stop it." Himeko whispered.

"Am"

"Stop it." She said louder.

"A"

"Stop it," She cried.

"Whore"

"Stop it!" she yelled. She didn't realize it, but as her eyes opened, she stood between the King and Princess, her left arm extended, holding the kitchen knife, dripping with blood and the king's right cheek tearing into his face. She must have run quickly, her body must have moved to such an extent that Himeko couldn't even recognize she was doing it. She looked in fear, seeing the king's right cheek continuing to bleed.

Most people would scream out in pain. The cut into the King's cheek however, began to grow and curve. Himeko then realized that the King smiled and stomped on Himeko's foot. Before she could cry out in pain, the King landed an undercut to her stomach. The pain was as if a mountain fell on her stomach. Her entire body shook as if it had never shook with pain before. Himeko took the blow, tasting the blood ooze out of her mouth. _"Is he that strong? Is his body that strong so he can fight whenever he wants?_" Himeko fell down from all the pain she had received.

"Baka, don't you see that Himemiya and I are talking? Keep pissing me off and I might just kill you." The King's bleached molars stuck out as he grinned, blood running down his cheek as if his mouth extended.

The pain from her stomach hurt incredibly. She wanted to lay there, clutching her stomach until she passed out or died. But the itch in her heart, the scratch she could not reach even as she tried, hurt the worst. Seeing the princess in pain, seeing how she had to beg for her country to live, hurt Himeko more than it had hurt anyone else. She sighed, as slowly got on her feet.

"You…don't…" She stood up, as she shielded Chikane-hime, her arms extending, "Ever…speak…to…Chikane-chan…like that!"

Finally getting on her two feet, staggering, Himeko watched helplessly as The Blue eyed King's knee traveled to her face. Himeko looked as the knee, covered by his white skirt slowed down, as if her last moments were here. "_So this is how I die."_ Himeko thought. "_Not as a hero, but as a stupid girl who let the princess beg for her kingdom. Gomenasai, Chikane-chan._" Suddenly, the kick was blocked, by a thin forearm, trying its best to block the kick from reaching the golden-haired girl. Himeko gasped seeing who it was.

The princess, in her perfectly silken dress, blocked the king's leg while holding a knife to his neck.

"Leave. Now." She said defiantly. The Princess did not realize who she challenged. The King loved to fight. His blood craved it. It made him stronger, it made him feel alive. The tear began to extend to the back of his mouth, when he noticed his men drawing their swords. Fools, this was his fight not theirs. Then the king grinned, realizing that killing the princess would be too easy.

Now making her beg, that was satisfying. "Fine," he said gesturing his men to the carriage.

"I was going to let you have a _small_ part of my army, but you blew it, Himemiya." He turned around and as he grinned, the blood running down his face, he smiled. "Come and beg for my army, if you want to win."


	6. Leviticus 18:22

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios.

I also **DO NOT** condemn any Bible Quote or any Homosexual act. This work is merely a work of fiction, not intended to cause harm in any physical, mental or spiritual manner.

**Leviticus 18:22**

* * *

_Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind: it is abomination._ -Leviticus 18:22

* * *

"Saotome-san!" Souma yelled through the village, running over to his emerald-eyed companion. Makoto, wearing her usual maiden's uniform, turned around solemnly.

"Oh, hey Jin-sama." She said dejectedly. An inside joke, Makoto often called Souma, "The Prince," most likely to his tie with Tsubasa, being one of his inner circle. But today, the brunette's voice did not ring lightly nor did it give a humorous tone, even on a clear afternoon sky like this. She was rather...down-trodden.

"Have you seen Tsubasa?" He asked, the crowd of people not hearing or caring what he said. "He's been missing for a while now."

"Sorry, I think Miyako might know though." Makoto responded, not giving eye contact.

"Thanks!" Just as Souma was going to leave, he noticed the saddened look upon the brunette's face. Instead of the energetic smile that both reasurred and annoyed Souma, her current expression left him feeling empty. "What's wrong?" He asked, turning around and looking the girl in the eye.

"Uh...Nothing!" The girl smiled, or at least attempted to. _No it's not,_ Souma thought, _It things were okay, you'd be really smiling right now._

"Seriously. What's wrong?" He took a firm tone, not leaving until he had an answer. True, Souma didn't really know, or particularly _liked_, Saotome. But she was Himeko's friend, so that would make her Souma's friend too. The brown-haired girl sighed, looking up into his eyes, revealing the hurt that she was in.

"I-I let her down." She confessed, pain not releasing for a bit, "I-I let Himeko down. A-And now she's probably locked up or scared, or being chased out of town or-or..." The last part couldn't leave her breath. That alternative was too painful to admit. If Himeko really was dead, then Makoto Saotome would have lost her childhood friend, her best friend, possibly even her sister. Makoto's speech began to bring pain to her, began to hurt her.

"Hey, hey! She's pretty tough. There's a good chance that she'll be okay." Oogami, of course, wasn't positive about this. There were a lot of things that could've happened to Himeko: locked away in the dungeons, being taken as a slave. Even the forbidden taboo of death wasn't unlikely.

"It's not only that!" The girl forced out of her breath, as if she were vomiting words than speaking them. "Lately, I keep seeing her everywhere I go. A few days ago, I thought I spotted her in a maid's uniform, but when I chased after her, nothing. I should've went in there. I let her go in there all alone, expecting her to kill, something she hasn't done before. She's always been too kind; what if the princess woke up and...and..." The girl looked ready to burst into tears, if not for Souma and the people around them.

"Hey," Souma spoke, resting his hand on Makoto's shoulder. Forcing her to look at him, he smiled, "My brother knew what he was doing. He always makes the right decisions and we always do fine in the end. So don't worry." The girl gave a soft grin and nodded.

"You're right. I-I needed that. Thanks, Jin-sama." Makoto's genuine smile returned. Brief, yes, small, yes, but still present.

"I'll talk to you later. First, I need to see Miyako about what happened to my brother." He started to turn around finally, when the auburn-haired girl stopped him with a slight tug of a wrist. Souma turned around to see the girl's sadness once more.

"Jin-sama...Um, back when your brother said those things about Himeko...about her being dead, he was kidding, right?"

_"You better hope she's dead, Souma!"_ Even now, his brother's words rang through his mind. _"Because if she's not, this war is finished!"_

"Tsubasa..." he started slowly picking his words, and thoughts carefully. "He worries a lot. He looks after a lot of people, it's only natural he would act angrily when all he's just frightened. He knows some sacrifices are necessary."

"Are you calling my friend a sacrifice?" Makoto said angrily, though not loudly.

"Hey, I believe in Kurusugawa. She's not going to betray us. But I'm not going to talk badly about my brother as well. I believe in both of them." He turned quickly and walked away, searching for Miyako.

_"But who do you believe in more?"_ thought Makoto.

* * *

Himeko, lying within the princess' arms, might have mistaken the following events for a play of a romantic sort, or even a dream. But, the stares of the onlookers and the king's black blood darkening the rich red carpet proved to her it indeed happened.

Chikane-hime looked terrified, as if her body reacted quicker than her mind. She gazed at the girl tucked within her arms and the small blade held her left hand.

"What? Why did..." The princess rose up slowly, her dress being stained with Himeko's blood. Gently, the princess took the maid's hand and stared at her for the longest time, finally let go and walked briskly back to her chambers. When the sound of the door slamming shut echoed throughout the hall, all the accusing eyes stared at her. Coldly.

"Do you realized what you've done, girl?"

"Now we're doomed. You've killed us all!" The voices, whether from the maids, the guards or even the Elders, they started to mesh together, attacking her as if in one voice. The pain, the pain of all those voices attacking her, it felt worse than the bone-shattering blows of El Rey.

"We were getting somewhere, finally, when you intervened and ruined everything!"

"I can't believe this is happening."

"Gomen..." Himeko croaked weakly, the cries of the crowd killing her voice, "Gomenasai."

"I'd give you lashings myself!" One of the guards said in criticism, "But that's a pleasure reserved for the princess." Himeko felt a sudden chill in the air, a cold filling the conversation.

"Yes..." One of the older maids replied, "The princess will be sure to punish you greatly." _Punish me?_ Himeko during all this time had forgotten all the rumors, all the dark tales of the Himemiya punishment. She had forgotten because of all the pain, not in her stomach where the king had struck her, but in her chest, a painful itch that could not be scratched.

"Maybe the princess will make her swallow a fresh hot coal or two." The crowd nodded together, smiling from the thoughts that had formed.

"Oh, maybe they'll bring back burning of the flesh."

"I heard in the east, they just chop off limbs as punishment. That doesn't sound like a bad idea."

"Castration has always been a favorite of mine. It's so rare to see a woman go through it nowadays."

"Go!" The elder barked, pointing towards the kitchen. "Go and toil away at the kitchen and await your punishment from her Highness." Himeko nodded, sadly, rising up and stepping quietly in the kitchen. As she pushed the door in, she stood in fear, seeing The head maid, a broom in her hand. The brush high up in the air, Himeko ducked and covered her head, expecting dust-filled bashings on the head. Rather, the broom was handed to her.

"Brush the floors until you're done." Otoha ordered, in a...somewhat _nicer_ manner than before. Himeko nodded and took the broom and began sweeping. But as she did this, she heard two words that would be burned into her mind for the rest of her life.

"Thank you."

* * *

Within her chambers, amongst her many reflections on herself, Miya-sama dug her nails into the joints of her knees. She sat on her bed, the veil shrouding the light, causing a blue atmosphere covering her. _How could you?_ She screamed within the confines of her mind. _You let her get hurt. You let Himeko get hurt!_

"Gomen...Gomenasai!" She whispered quietly, recalling the king's white knuckles land blow after blow upon that golden-haired beauty; each blow caused a painful jab to her royal heart. That innocent suffered so much and did nothing but protect her and defend her. And why did that golden-haired beauty suffer so much?

_Because you begged. Why did you get on you knees and beg?_ Chikane-hime shuddered at that thought. Lowering herself for her kingdom when the only person worth protecting got injured. Injured for her.

"Gomen, Himeko." The princess whispered, caught within the darkness of her own mind. "I'll...I'll never let you see that weak side of me, ever again."

* * *

Souma Oogami watched as his horse passed the trees, revealing a cascading waterfall descending to the lake below. He slightly pulled the reigns, bringing the horse to a stop, and got off, hearing the crunching of dead leaves as he landed. _This is the place Miyako said my brother was at. _But her words, there was a...sinister feeling to them.

_Where did you send my brother, Miayko?_

_Under the southern waterfall. Don't fear, our leader is amassing knowledge as we speak, from a very reliable source._

_Why? Why has he gone there?_

_Why else? He seeks victory. I simply told him the way._

_Is he in danger? What could happen to him._

_Do not fear. Your brother will be both physically safe and intellectually enlightened._

_How do you know this?_

_I speak from...personal experience._

Souma wasn't sure what Miyako had done to his brother, but it was time that he come home. The rebels were getting restless and would attack the castle prematurely. He wasn't going to let his brother flush all the rebels had worked for into nothing. He followed the trail leading up to the cavern. The roars of the waterfall seemed calm, peaceful. "_Maybe Tsubasa wanted to get away from it all,"_ Souma thought, shifting views slowly towards the cave. "_Maybe he's just been so tired from fighting."_

As he entered the cave, the squishing noise, like the sound of fresh mud, replaced the crunching from before. Souma picked up his shoes, gazed at this foot and sighed. This wasn't his idea of relaxation.

Further, he ventured into the cavern, noticing a daze-like sound from the other side. "See...I can see..." Souma's ears burst open. It was his brother's voice. That dark baritone voice that brought him up for all his life. _Tsubasa._ he thought. He quickened his pace, literally running to the other side of the cavern. As he ran, the voices started echoing, as if his brother wasn't alone. His determiation pulled him, causing him to find his only family.

Relieved, Souma found Tsubasa in a mediative position facing the wall. Or at least, that's what he initially felt. He came closer, looking at the leader and what he witnessed sent shockwaves through his body.

The rebel leader, in all of his glory, stared at the ceiling with blank eyes, saliva running from the side of his mouth and a purple seal glowing in the middle of his forehead.

"Tsubasa!" Souma screamed shaking his brother to wake him. The rebel leader's daze would not cease, continuing his muttering. "Tsubasa, snap out of it!" It was then the boy realized that Tsubasa's curse was a symptom of this place. A sign of his corruption. Almost immediately, Souma grabbed his brother's shoulders and pulled dragging him towards the light of the cavern.

_"Souma Oogami..._" That voice. That voice, or rather a combination of many voices, caused the boy to let go of the rebel leader and whip around. A black hole stared straight into Oogami, knowledge seemingly peering out from the inside. The boy's thoughts rattled with questions: Where did it come from? How did it know his name?

_"Souma, why don't you stay a while? I have tales that might interest you._" The voice allured Souma to the point of calmness. "_Why shouldn't I stay? Tsubasa's alright, if a bit messy. And this cave feels so comfortable. Maybe, I should just forget_-" Souma shook his head, realizing that...that entity had been replacing his thoughts. Quickly, he dragged his brother, bit by bit, across the mud, the crimson-eyed man muttering, "I understand...I understand."

_"Do not resist me, Souma Oogami!"_ Whatever that thing was, it shot out purple bolts of lightning, sending surges across Souma's body. Unmoved by the stings, he continued to drag his brother out, until the sunlight blinded them and the waterfall's soothing mist cooled them.

"Nii-san! Nii-san!" the boy yelled slapping his brother. At first, nothing happened. Tsubasa didn't utter a word since his forced exit. Then, slowly and steadily, a quiver in his voice was heard. Laughter rang out of his mouth as Tsubasa rose above cackling from what he had learned.

"I saw! I saw! Souma, I finally understand what is necessary to win this war!" Souma fell in shock. He lay amongst the leaves seeing his brother possibly driven mad from the source of energy and he was...laughing.

"Tsubasa, what were you doing in there? Were-were you delving in things that you weren't supposed to?"

"It doesn't matter, Souma. I saw the future!"

At first, the boy shook his head in disbelief. "The future? That-that's impossible, even from that."

"No, it showed me visions. Signs of the future. Souma, history practically writes that we become victorious. And I know the way. Hurry, we must return to the camp and tell the others what I saw."

As Tsubasa ran amongst the dead leaves, his brother looked at him.

"Tsubasa, are you sure you're okay?" The other turned around to face him, as if he were dismissive.

"Of course I am, why?"

Souma stood silent for a few seconds before responding. "It-It's just that, after all this time, you haven't wiped the drool from your face."

* * *

Himeko still couldn't remove Otoha's response in her mind, even after the sun had set and she had swept the steps for the fourth time. _Thank you_, she said as if Himeko did something grand for Otoha to witness. But honestly, Himeko couldn't stand by and watch the person she felt so...good around be attacked like that.

_He was hurting Chikane-chan._ She thought, trying to remove such a wrongful mindset. _No, I didn't do it for her, I-I did it for Oogami-kun and Mako-chan. I did it for them..._ Did she really consider her friends when the princess was on her knees? Then why didn't she attack before hand or set some sort of sabotage.

_I don't...I don't_-

"Kurusugawa-san!" A deep male's voice rang. Finally, a comforting voice came across revealing a familiar grass-haired priest walking down the stairs.

"Oogami-sensei!" Himeko cried out in joy. However, that joy was quickly shut down realizing Kazuki might have heard what had happened with the party of Pantera, and the knife incident.

"Um" Himeko responded in a quiet fashion, worried of the scolding to come, "Did...did you come to talk to me about the visit today?"

"Indeed I have. There are a lot of things I want to say to you, Himeko." The girl winced, ready for the punishment that Kazuki would fill her with. _He'll probably yell at me, or worse, tell me that he's very disappointed at me._ She bit her lower lip, ready to face punishment.

"I'm very proud of what you did there." Kazuki smiled, as if he misheard what Himeko actually did.

"Ex...excuse me?"

"I heard you gave the king of Pantera a good slashing across the cheek. That arrogant fool deserves nothing less." Himeko stared at the priest, his grin reaching across the face. She, of course, knew of Kazuki's resistance for foreign aid, but never would have thought she would actually be praised for cutting royalty. _He must really hate the idea of foreign help,_ she thought.

"B-But what if I did something wrong? What if Pantera attacks out of spite or..."

"Don't worry," Kazuki replied putting a hand on her shoulder. "If Pantera were here for conquest, they would've been at our gates. Trust me, you did nothing wrong."

"B-But then why-"

"I imagine that The Vulgarian Noise must have needed some padding to his petty pride." Kazuki scoffed. Putting his fingers on his chest, imitating a royal. "_Oh, look at me. If someone doesn't bow down to me every five seconds, I might just have to execute them._" Himeko couldn't help but giggle at this inaccurate but comforting imitation. "Makes me glad we have a leader like Miya-sama. Wouldn't you agree Kurusugawa-san?"

"But they could have been helpful." Himeko said disjointedly, knowing her crimes and what she had done. "Pantera has a big army, and they're really close by." She knew that Pantera, though very foreign, wasn't that far off. On horseback, it only took a day to get there. A day and a half, if someone decided to rest.

"And I...ruined our chances." The golden-haired maid hung her head in shame, seeing what she had done to the country and to Chikane-hime.

Slowly, Kazuki walked towards the steps and actually sat on them, very unbecoming of a priest. "Himeko, come, sit with me." The girl gazed at the priest before doing so, confused what was going on. She patted her maid's uniform and sat closely by the priest on the steps lined with red carpet.

"You don't want people like that as allies, trust me." His voice, deep and clear always managed to pick Himeko up. She felt glad by his comforting tone. "Remember, I fought with Pantera during the war. As enemies, they're the worst kind. Ruthless, without honor, they don't stop until everyone is either dead or on their knees. Sometimes both. You couldn't imagine how quick one of their own would betray his own allies."

"I see..." Himeko responded. As she dangled her feet, she realized something. _Wait, he talked about the war. Maybe I can find out more about Souma-kun and see what he knows._

"Umm...Oogami-sensei?" The golden-haired maid asked. She needed to step carefully, avoiding potential suspicion and conflict. "When you said your son had died, did he die during the war?"

Kazuki wasn't as shocked as before, but instead stared at the ground, dead silent for a long time. This was a difficult subject for him to talk about so casually.

"Well, to be honest, I was mugged." He replied with a sad laugh. Himeko looked at him, unsure how to respond to this. _Mugged? Why would somebody mug someone for a child?_

"My son...he was only three at the time. It was a rainy night when I took him out to walk. Suddenly, this boy, probably no more than ten, came at me with a knife. I'll never forget those bloody red eyes and that ugly green hair, like grass only very lighter." Himeko gasped quietly in fear, hearing this. _Tsubasa? Tsubasa-sama stole Souma?_

"I, of course, didn't really take him as much of a threat, but that was my mistake. He stabbed me in the foot, distracting me and took my son from underneath me. It was...a very sad moment in my life." Himeko couldn't help but feel discouraged by this. All this time, this poor man had been robbed of a wife and child at an early age but still believed in the country that took his family from him. It was...beautiful.

"Himeko Kurusugawa." She turned only to see one of the Elder staring at her. "Her Highness requests your presence." Himeko realized the seriousness behind these words. It was time for her punishment.

As she started to follow the Elder, she looked back on the priest, sitting below on the steps.

"Kazuki-sensei..." She called out, receiving a warm glance in return.

"Your...son," Himeko hesitated, unsure what to say, "If-if you never see him again, it'll be alright. It's like when I lost my father. In fact, I never really knew my father, but if I did remember him, I'd like him to be just like you." Kazuki's eyes widened at these words and settled into a polite grin.

"And I'd like my child to be just like you."

* * *

The last time Himeko entered the princess' quarters, she attempted to take the life of the Himemiya heir. Now, as a maid, the only thing she would take would be Miya-sama's punishment. Slowly, under the blue veil, Himeko crossed the many mirrors showing the princess in her blanch nightgown. Chikane-hime's dress revealed her shapely form, her pale skin and even her privates covered by bandages.

But as she causually stepped forth, she heard the princess' silk voice, usually calm and maintained, shook and sometimes even became frantic.

"Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind; it is abomination." The princess spoke, her body hunched over a small leather bible. "Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind; it is abomination."

Although Himeko didn't spend much time reading the scripture, she knew well enough from what the passage spoke of. It spoke of the sin known as Sodom and Gomorrah, unspeakable lust between those of the same gender. Even now, Himeko's thoughts reverted back to the pastor's words. "_An sin of unspeakable punishment, society truly corrupts that which is sacred between a man and a woman. Those who dare commit it shall burn in hell for all eternity!"_ She shook her head, shaking these awful thoughts and approached the princess, still reciting the quote.

"Chikane-chan?" Himeko asked, finally speaking up.

"Thou shalt not lie- Oh, good evening, Himeko." Now that the princess closed her bible, Himeko finally realized who she was speaking to. She was here to receive her punishment. Quickly, Himeko threw out words in order to defend herself at the same time Miya-sama decided to speak.

"Chikane-chan, I didn't understand what was going on and I just-"

"No, Himeko, it was wrong of me to lower myself in such a manner that I-"

"Wait, let me finish. I shouldn't have gotten in the way of the affairs of the-"

"Please, Himeko, I just wasn't strong enough so I wanted to say-"

"**Gomenasai!**" Himeko and Chikane-hime stared at each other, realizing both had apologized at the same time.

"What?" Himeko replied, breaking the silence first, "What could you be sorry for?"

"I-I" For the first time, Himeko actually saw the pain from Chikane-hime as if she were under tremendous pain, unable to release it. "I begged for help. I begged for help for a kingdom I couldn't even protect. And you were hurt by it. Your wounds, how are they?"

The golden-haired maid didn't respond to this question immediately. Her wounds still pained her, immensely, but not as her heart did. The last thing she expected was an apology and now the princess asked if she was alright. Himeko didn't want Miya-sama to worry, not about her anymore.

"They're...they're okay, Chikane-chan. It's not that bad." Himeko shielded her stomach, now reminded of the pangs that hurt her.

"M-May I?" Chikane-hime asked, her hands on the maid's stomach. Himeko nodded and slowly, undressed, taking off the apron, then unlacing the dress from the back. Finally, the top part of her dress fell forward revealing her chest covered by bandages and her stomach, a large purple blotch. The princess sighed and brushed it gently with her fingertips, not wanting to cause more pain.

"Oh, Himeko." She sighed, closing her eyes painfully as Himeko made herself decent again, tying the dress back. Miya-sama turned to the window, the moon shining beautifully in the night.

"You saved me, you know." The blond stared at the raven haired beauty who looked out at the window. "Whatever shred or dignity or pride or honor I was willing to cast aside, you saved it."

Her revelation would not come soon enough, knowing whatever punishment she would receive, she would bear it, even if it meant shoveling horse dung with that wretched Abuki for a lifetime.

"I..." Chikane-hime hesitated as if the next few words would be the most painful thing she would announce for the rest of her life. "I want to reward you. I was thinking of the perfect gift, maybe jewelery or gold or even your own house near here. But first, I want to know...what you want."

Himeko wasn't sure what to make of this. Here, she was in a position where she could've had anything she wanted. She could've asked for the princess to give the rebels peace or better yet, ask for a compromise. Maybe she could find out more about Kazuki and his son. Best of all, maybe she could end this war and...live with her.

But as with any good plan, Himeko realized the consequences of what would happen. She would be revealed what she truly was: a liar, a sham and worst of all, a rebel within the midst of the royalists. Most of all, she needed to survive. And she wanted to be close to the princess.

"Well," Himeko began thinking of all thing things the princess would've offered. "I have no need for gold or a house. I live just fine here with the other maids. And as for jewelery, I don't think I would look good in it anyway. Not as pretty as you, anyway. If I wanted anything at all, Chikane-chan..." Himeko hesitated, unsure what to say.

"Yes?"

"I would want whatever gift you would give me." Himeko's response didn't seem to thrill the princess, in fact it made her feel somewhat worse from when she was reciting her bible passage.

"I...was afraid you would say that." Chikane-hime sighed, finally turning to face the maid, gazing directly into her eyes."Because my gift, the only gift I think is worthy enough for you, would mean...would mean a lifetime of punishment for you.

Himeko wasn't sure what she was talking about. "_A gift that brings punishment? What's she talking about? No gift punishes people."_ Then, her amethyst eyes lit up, remembering the bible quote echoing on the way here. Then, Himeko finally realized what the princess' gift was.

"Please, Himeko. Accept my gift and...may God have mercy on your soul." Chikane-hime leaned in and pecked Himeko's pink lips, ending it as quickly as it had begun. For however brief or short or small the kiss may have been, Himeko felt a sudden bliss, a sudden euphoric sensation, unlike which she ever felt before. "_Is this what sin feels like?"_ Himeko thought, still reeling from the kiss. "_So good, so wonderful so that God may punish you afterwards? Maybe...maybe this is heaven."_

As she recovered her state of mind, she realized that the princess did not share the same feeling. Seated facing her desk, she buried her face in her palms and gave small breaths. Small breaths with gasps in the middle. Like sobs. Chikane-hime recovered her composure, wiped her face and looked at Himeko.

"There is a monastery in the middle of the kingdom. You may leave my service and go there if you wish. I...I will stay here and endure the weight of my sins." As the princess, turned back to her desk and her misery, Himeko felt a great conflict in her heart, as if there were thousands of sides pulling on each end. There was a side that said to run away, never look back and devote herself to God. There was another side that said to pour everything out to the princess and confess who she was. An especially dark voice told her to kill the princess where she stood.

Then there was the most confusing side of all. The side that said that Himeko should just wrap her arms around the princess to be with her forever. As she listened to all these sides in her mind, she came to two conclusions: The first was that Chikane-hime trusted her as well as...loved her the way she did, and, in a way, Himeko wanted to return those feelings. The second conclusion, however, couldn't be more in contrast. It had plotted. Miya-sama was willing to let Himeko in, all by herself in a dim room, with nobody else watching her. It would be perfect to assasinate the princess.

Whether Himeko wanted to kill Miya-sama or to kiss Chikane-hime forever, there was only one clear path.

"Maybe..." Himeko started, slowly at the princess, "Maybe I want to endure these things with you." The princess, rose her face from her palms and stared at the maid in disbelief.That look, a mixture of joy and despair, made the princess walk from her chair.

"Maybe...a lifetime of punishment is worth a lifetime of happiness." Chikane-hime, however, began making her way to the golden-haired maid, brushing her hair away.

"No, Himeko." The princess protested, "You mustn't! Not for me, not for a wretched soul like-" Himeko silenced Miya-sama's mouth with her own. As the princess' eyes began to close because of the warmth, Himeko wrapped her arms around the princess, unsure if this was actual love. Her body lit in a gentle fire of body heat and rushing blood. Her heart pounded in a steady beat as their lips began to brush and bite on each other, enjoying the moisture between them. Himeko didn't want to accept this love, though her body ignored any logical thinking. She gave a small high-pitched squeal, obviously enjoying this.

Then, without realizing it, Himeko put her heel behind the princess' foot and pulled back, causing both of them to trip and fall.

"Himeko." The princess cried, lying on her back.

"Chikane-chan." The blond continued to press her lips on Chikane-hime's. Their arms, once locked in a single embrace, began to slowly move, rubbing cheeks and hips as their thighs slowly grazed each other. This sensual feeling was the only form of happiness given to Himeko.

Himeko, as she nipped the princess' neck, refused to submit to these feelings of betrayal and sin. "_I don't want this",_ the blond thought, her arms wrapped around the princess, "_I'm just doing this for Oogami-kun and Mako-chan. I'm-I'm not a harlot. I'm not a sinner. I-I can't love her, because of what she is."_ Though her mind fought a war amongst itself, her body would never let go, not until both girls had been out of breath and sweated large drops.

When they finally arose together, they embraced each other, their arms wrapped around each other for the longest time. When the princess finally released her, Chikane-hime noticed soemthing.

"Himeko, when you said 'maybe', what made you say maybe?"

In that moonlit room, Kurusugawa stood silent, only her thoughts echoing within her. "_Because maybe I don't love you. Because maybe I'm just pretending and I'm just here for my friends. But, maybe, just maybe..." _Himeko quickly silenced her thoughts and did what she always did.

She lied. She simply put no truth in her words.

"Because, it was my first kiss, and I wasn't sure about it." Himeko winced. For a moment there, she felt an once of truth in those words.

* * *

Himeko left the princess' chambers. She felt so confused on what was going on. _Why did I kiss her back? Why didn't I kill her when I had the chance? Do I really love-_ Somewhere within Himeko's mind, she told herself to silence this line of thinking. She wasn't like the princess. She wasn't a sinner. She wasn't a traitor or an abomination. All Himeko did was get the knife out of her possession.

"Kurusugawa-san." Himeko looked up to the candlelit hallway to see a large mass of people stare at her, including Kazuki Oogami.

"So...What happened?" The green-haired priest asked, showing the apparent curiosity of the entire castle.

Suddenly, Himeko was caught in a trap, somehow having to make a lie that would replace the lack of any physical wounds. Suddenly, Himeko came up with the perfect answer, one she didn't need to lie about, for it was true.

"She...condemned my soul to hell." The castle stood quietly for a while, in disbelief. Finally one of the Elders dismissed it and all the others dispersed in disappointment. One knight whispered to the other, "_A bit too easy if you ask me._" The only one standing there, was the same priest that asked her the question.

"Oh. Himeko, I-I'm so sorry."

"So am I."

* * *

The rebels huddled together by the campfire under the cold of night. Were the rumors true? Did the great Tsubasa return to them. There, in the middle of that forest, gathered near that bonfire, they watched on the wooden platform as Tsubasa emerged, receiving a world of applause and cheer. Their leader had not only returned to them, but returned with a confident smile.

"My army, how have you been this fine day?" Tsubasa started his speech slowly, taking his time to build up trust. The rebels responded in their usual manner, as if they were having a conversation in the pub. Things were okay, but they could've been better.

"I left you, all without warning, and for that I must apologize. But fear not, for during my journey, I discovered and learned many things." The audience certainly felt enthralled by this. What did the great Tsubasa learn from his travels.

"I have learned a new word, a word that I would like everyone to learn." He spoke softly milking the naivety of the common people and the ease of interest in new things. "Comrade. My friends, or rather my comrades this is what people call each other when they view each other as equals, or in the same position. Say it with me, 'comrade'."

The audience was unsure of where this would lead but repeated the phrase as well. "Comrade."

"You see, I've learned things on my travels and that the only way to establish true government is to find a way to eliminate all kings and queens and princes and especially princesses. My comrades, it is time for revolution."

Revolution? It was such a big word that carried a lot of meaning to it. What was their leader suggesting? What were these profound words that seemed so strange to them and yet couldn't help but become hypnotized by them? They continued to listening, shoving each other to listen to their leader's words.

"These people: kings, queens, royalty in general, we have only ourselves to blame for letting them into power. Well I say, no more! We shall not only overthrow this tryant, but replace her with a new leader! Someone who understands the plight of the people, someone who has raised from the dirt the same as the others, someone like-"

"Tsubasa-sama!" One man cried out, pointing at the rebel leader. "You should be our new leader since you've had it the worse."

"No, no," The crimson-eyed man replied humbily but proudly at the same time, "I cannot be your leader, I am merely a poor soul like the rest of you, trying to get by."

"But you know so much and can teach us so much!" The another rebel added. Soon, the whole crowd was in unison, agreeing that this man, with his power over words should have power over them. In short, Tsubasa's plan had worked.

"Very well. I will accept this nomination _humbly_, not doing this for myself but for those close around me, including my brother, Souma." As he gestured towards the youth, Souma was caught in a very awkward position, everyone staring and fawning over him.

"My people, my comrades, I have learned of a system, a system where everyone, _but_ the highest class benefits. We shall create a system where we shall share in our prosperity and share our wealth, no one shall go hungry..."

"Not even us?" One beggar woman asked, as if this sounded too good to be true.

"No! No one shall suffer in poverty, for everyone shall have work to provide for everyone."

"So even I can have work?" An old man asked, the hope gleaming in his eyes.

"Yes! And together, we will build The People's Revolution, where nobody suffers and everybody wins, except the wretched Himemiyas!" At the end of Tsubasa's delivery, every single rebel clapped. This new system where everybody would benefit, everybody would win, sounded too good to be true. Yet, the way they understood it, Tsubasa would make it true. Tsubasa would not only be their leader, but a leader they could approach, a comrade.

"But be alert, my comrades!" His baritone voice once again silenced the camp.

"For what I have learned most of all is that with every good plan, comes a _traitor_." The people whispered to themselves. They had always suspected a spy amongst the ranks, but denied those fears quickly as they sprouted. "Traitors, people who would quickly give our secrets and our plans to the wretched Himemiya, can come in any shape, form or place. They can be our brothers, our wives, even are own children are to be suspect!"

"So, if you have any doubts, any suspicions of someone being a traitor..." The audience leaned in, hearing the wisdom of this man's words, "Do not hesitate to cut them down, like the dogs they are! A dead traitor is better than any traitor!" The people heard this and cheered, uttering the phrase into the cold of night.

"A dead traitor is better than any traitor! A dead traitor is better than any traitor!" And so the seeds of rebellion were planted, and the plant of corruption would be sowed.


	7. The Heart's Desire

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios.

**The Heart's Desire**

Souma Oogami froze under his brother's words: its power, its dedication and conviction. Souma was even more convinced of Tsubasa's goal to be rid of the princess. It gave him a sense of pride. As the people clapped and discussed amongst themselves, Souma followed his older brother into his tent. He was eager to learn of this new world, this world where everyone was treated equally and no one would suffer, everybody would benefit. It seemed like a promise out of too many broken ones.

"Tsubasa..." the Oogami boy greeted his brother, just in the middle of a conversation with Miyako. "Gomenasai, Miyako, but I want to speak with my brother for a moment."

Just as the second in command was about to dismiss him, Tsubasa interrupted her, "Miyako, let me speak with my brother for a moment, there are some things I want to discuss with him."

As Miyako left, Souma couldn't help but feel...enthralled in his brother's presence. Something amazing must have happened at the cave, to feel this sort of aura of power or respect from Tsubasa. Souma stepped forward and sang his praises.

"Tsubasa! That was great, I never would've guessed that something good would have come out of..." Souma picked his words carefully. The cave, he remembered, radiated a sort of darkness or corruption. To say something good would have come out from it was like saying a murderer on the streets was a hero. Somehow, it just didn't feel right.

"I mean, you were always a good speaker but back there, you were incredible!" Souma gazed into his brother's crimson eyes seeing an utter seriousness in his face. Unlike the others outside, celebrating and cheering, Tsubasa seemed to be quiet, as if he had other things on his mind. But Souma was utterly convinced that he could do no wrong.

"Souma, we need to talk about leadership in the new world."

The boy looked at the rebel leader curiously, "Shouldn't we be more concerned about winning this war first?"

"Calm down, there is no denying our victory. But before I pass on my knowledge, I need to know where your loyalties stand."

Souma was taken aback by all this. Why would his brother, the rebel leader, go through all the trouble of asking where his loyalties lie? Then remembering Tsubasa's speech, he realized that he was questioning whether or not he was loyal to him. How could he? Tsubasa not only raised him in his time of need, but he also taught Souma how to fight, survive and even act as a gentlemen. Was he that suspicious, that paranoid, even of his own brother?

"How can you ask that? I would follow you anywhere. I'm your brother. Maybe not by blood, but by the years we've spent between us!" Souma shook with a quiet fury as his brother gave a rather casual smirk.

"Calm down, Souma. I was only joking." The boy could have taken this several ways, but decided it was best not to question his brother's newfound sense of humor.

"Souma, when we take over this kingdom, it shall become a state of productivity and stability. Whenever someone looks to our power, they will admire what we have created. But in order to do that, we must be absolutely sure that everyone believes that they are equal amongst each other."

The boy was taken aback by these words. How exactly were they going to do that? "I'm sure people will start believing that when we've won."

The green-haired man smirked, drawing his blade and gazing at it, moving it, reflecting the bonfire's red and orange hue with it. "You'd be surprised on how _selfish_ people can be. They only think of themselves unless somebody controls them."

Souma looked at his brother curiously as an unease build up in his stomach, not unlike the ominous feeling towards the cave. "What do you mean, 'somebody controls them'? I thought that's what we're fighting against."

"We are, but," Tsubasa gave a heavy sigh, as if he was going to confess something, "we need people, people who know that they're selfless in order to watch over the selfish. That's why, when I-'we' take over Mahoroba, I need to count on someone to watch over the population and make sure the people do what they're told to do."

Suddenly, Souma respect disappeared as quickly as it reappeared. First, Tsubasa gave a speech on how people were going to be treated as equals and as comrades. But now, Tsubasa talked about this 'selfless' leadership and how only the 'selfless' would lead. Souma suspected his brother of manipulating words, creating lies in order to justify the means. If Tsubasa could lie, why couldn't Souma?

"Of course, Tsubasa," Souma, ever cautious, made plans within his own mind. "But, out of curiosity, when will we step down from power?"

The rebel leader took his brother by the shoulders and leaned in, his crimson eyes meeting Souma's black eyes, "When everyone is convinced that they are an equal to the person next to them."

* * *

Himeko gave serious thought to the idea of being a nun in the church for a few years, to cleanse herself of her sins. On top of kissing one of the same gender, she not only lied but plotted to kill the one who she had kissed in the first place. However, when she caught sight of Kazuki Oogami frequently visiting the church, she decided it would be better to live at the castle, enduring her own guilt. Logically, it was better for Kurusugawa to have the burden of knowledge then let any of the royalist know.

On a perfectly blue day with the sun's beams lighting the kingdom, Himeko Kurusugawa could not shake the feeling of evil from her. She lied to the princess, a perfectly harmless princess who was the enemy. She had let the princess live, causing further pain on the rebels and Makoto and Souma. No, the sin that was even worse than causing that pain was the deception. Even as she walked through the kingdom, her hands folded together, her maid's uniform washed, Himeko did not even try once to ensure her friends that she was alive.

When she searched for a reason, the same excuses came up. First, the guilt that she not only failed to kill the princess but actually associated with the very enemy caused an inner shame. If she were to return to camp, they would surely know she failed and any sort of family with them would abandon her without a second's thought. Then, there was the dilemma with Kazuki Oogami. Did the rebel leader at the age of ten no less rob Kazuki of a child? Why would anyone steal a child? What did Tsubasa plan with Souma? Finally came the most confusing and disheartening subject at all. She and the princess had kissed. No, to simply kiss wasn't as bad as she had done. She had embraced Miya-sama in order to plot to kill her.

Himeko Kurusugawa, liar, deceiver, and harlot, wanted to lose herself from her burdens. So she entered a shop possessing many fragrant flowers.

Through the wooden door, lied an inner garden, a shop where vines and gardens had taken over and a simple shop-keeper lived in this forest of plants. He looked simple enough, mustached and friendly, with his upper whiskers that added to his smile.

"Why, hello there! Greetings and welcome to the Secret Garden! What may I get for you?" Himeko knew that she wanted more than anything to get lost. However, the shop-keepers in Mahoroba and their simple wooden huts tended to throw non-buyers out. In order to stay within this garden, she feigned interest by smelling some of the flowers. She kept doing this until her amethyst eyes gazed at a row of red roses.

"These...these look lovely." She said in awe, picking one of the red roses and smelling the faint sweet scent, wanting to buy a row of these.

"That little flower happens to be our best seller! None can deny the romantic implications of a perfect red rose. It's to be given to someone truly special." _Truly special, _Himeko thought looking at the innocence that the plant bore along with fresh dew drops on it. Did she really want this longing or lustful feeling? Did she truly wish nothing more than to be at the princess' side?

She looked at the flowers, realizing opportunity. Himeko wanted to get close to the princess. The princess wanted to get close to Himeko. If Himeko feigned interest, if she could concentrate on the task rather on these _unsettling _feelings of hers, she would have an opportunity to get rid of the princess. But did she really want this? After all, Chikane-hime housed her and fed her and maybe even...Himeko shook these indecent feelings from her mind and gazed at the roses.

"I'll take a dozen, please." She replied, handing the shop-keeper a rose.

"I'm so glad to hear that!" As the shopkeeper began to pack the flowers together, wrapping them together and clipping their thorns, he began to reminisce. "You know, just the other day, I was just servicing this boy who ordered the exact same thing. I'm not sure of his name, but he had that love stricken face that lies on every youth."

Himeko paused in her thoughts, realizing who 'this boy' the man was referring to.

"You couldn't tell from the way he was dressed, but he was probably one of the courteous boys I've met. He had a head full of black hair and a heart full of love. When I asked him what this was for, he simply replied, "a birthday present."

Himeko nodded, wanting to just leave and run to the castle, so that the reminders of her friends would no longer unsettle her nerves. She stilled her body, wanting nothing more than to shake nervously. When the shopkeeper handed her the bushel full of red roses, she aimed to pay him, but the shopkeeper refused. "Don't worry about that. Anybody on Her Highness' side gets flowers free of charge."

As Himeko left the store, she bumped into several people. During her walk, she had forgotten the mid-day rush of people and commerce. Slowly, her feet traveled on the cobblestone, leading up to the castle. She nearly collided with a hay cart and a chicken vendor as she got closer. Suddenly, right from behind her, she heard a familiar voice. The voice was neither silky as the princess' nor was it deep as the priest's.

"Himeko?" Makoto Saotome asked, behind the maid.

Makoto's voice brought a sliver of happiness and a heart full of despair. Makoto was alive; she was alive and well so they could play together again, just as they were children. However, Makoto found Himeko, or what appeared to be Himeko, with the worst possible timing. Himeko needed to kill the princess. Himeko needed to complete the mission. What Himeko didn't want was to fail. So, Himeko put one foot in front of the other and sprinted for the castle.

"Himeko, wait!" Makoto cried, running after her.

Himeko, her roses in hand, shoved and pushed past the mass of people, crashing into them, spilling their belongings. Himeko gazed at her left hand, the petals flying past as her legs carried her as fast as they could. She didn't want to face them, not like this, not like a liar of some sort. She didn't want to face her shame, her failure to all of her friends and the rebels. She didn't want them to see her, living comfortably.

There so many people as there were worries in her mind. She had to not only duck behind a vegetable cart, but turn corners and even throw one of the flowers too damaged from the wind to be beautiful. This was the last thing she wanted: to be found out by her best friend and be forced to run from her. But, it was necessary. Himeko nearly tripped over a beggar instead of leaping over him.

"Himeko, I just want to talk!" Himeko didn't want to talk. She didn't want to admit she failed. She didn't want to tell Makoto how she was too much of a coward. If there was one thing that she wanted to do right now, rather than just to fly away or run faster, Himeko didn't want to be seen. Himeko didn't want to be caught.

Himeko just wanted to disappear.

Finally, she did so, only bumping into one other person along the way.

"Gomenasai, Otoha!"

* * *

"Himeko, wait!" It was her, it was definitely her. Even from behind, Makoto could tell. So when that figure in her life, her sister, began to run away from her, Makoto ran as fast as she could. She couldn't lose her a second time, not again.

She couldn't understand it. Why was Himeko running away from her? Did she do something wrong, something that upset Himeko? Was Himeko scared? Was she scared of Makoto or Tsubasa or whoever? Was that why she bumped into people, blocking Makoto's path with produce and poultry?

As fast as Makoto pushed past people, as fast as she could leap from the vegetable carts, as fast as she could turn corners, Makoto was losing her, in the mass of people. _Not again,_ she thought, shoving past women carrying buckets of water, _please, I can't lose her again_!

Then it hit her. Maybe Himeko wasn't afraid of Makoto or the rebels. Maybe she was afraid she had failed.

"Himeko, I just want to talk!" When the maid continued her mad run, Makoto could help but feel a bit of animosity towards her. _Baka,_ she thought continuing to chase after her. "_I don't care that the princess is still alive. I don't care you messed up an easy assignment. I just miss you. Just don't go away from me."_

Then finally, she reached the slope, ascending towards the castle. When she saw a lone blond figure, standing, Makoto's heart breathed a world of relief.

"There you are!" She yelled, turning around to see a maid with bright curly hair and brown eyes. Himeko didn't have curly hair or brown eyes.

"Can I help you?" The maid said in a very strict and pompous fashion. Himeko didn't talk strictly or pompously. It wasn't Himeko. She wasn't Himeko. At that point, Makoto's heart descended into despair once more.

"Sorry, you...just look like a friend of mine."

* * *

Himeko felt exhausted, her back leaning on the castle door. Her calves burned like fire and became stiff and rough. She thought she would never lose her friend, but managed to do so. She was scared. Maybe Makoto figured her a traitor, or something worse, Himeko didn't know. Her hands just clutched the roses, damaged by the chase. She couldn't get caught, not when she didn't finish her task. She would succeed; she had to succeed.

_"But did it have to come to this?,"_ Himeko thought_ "Was there no other way?" _In a way, Himeko missed Makoto. Makoto wasn't as beautiful or as charming as the princess, but she was loyal and energetic. Even as a child living in the orphanage, Himeko could still see her smile, warming their miserable parentless lives. When they grew older, Makoto would protect Himeko from people like Girochi, who was more than willing to take advantage of the poor blond. In truth, Himeko probably missed the only family close to her.

But things were different now.

She needed to do this on her own, and she couldn't go back until she killed the princess. Himeko felt scared, nervous, even appalled at her own behavior. But she had to do what was necessary. Himeko gave a heavy sigh, brushed the dust from her maid's uniform and headed to the stairway, the flowers in hand.

A cold, hard grip on her wrist turned her around to face three helmeted guards including the captain.

"Where do you think you're _going_, Kurusugawa?" Once again, the guard's helmeted and muffled voice unnerved Himeko to the point of stuttering.

"I-I was just-" Himeko didn't understand what was going on. She thought she was finally exempt from questions.

"We've got some questions for you, Missy and you're going to answer them." The captain's voice started to rise, not with anger but with satisfaction, in a matter-of-fact way. "We contacted your _Aunt Yuki_ in the Motherland. Did you know that she has a nephew, but no niece?"

Himeko could feel her heart beating rapidly, causing her to perspire nervously. "W-what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that if I had the right, I'd rip off all of your clothes here and see who exactly you are. But things don't work like that in Mahoroba, not under the princess' watch. So instead, we're going to have a little talk, in the dungeons."

Himeko felt the fear consume her in a cold grip. _"That's it. They've found me. The only change I have now is to run. But where am I going to run to? I'll have to leave the kingdom and..."_

"What do you think you're doing?" cried a gentle but deep voice. Himeko's wouldn't have believed her ears but, sure enough, as she turned around, at the top of the stairs she saw the emerald-haired priest, staring down coldly at the guards.

"What were you planning to do to this poor girl?" Kazuki accused sharply, descending down the stairs.

"Kazuki-sensei!" The guard replied in a shocked manner. Himeko didn't realize it at first, but underneath the guard's faceless helmet must have been a nervous and shocked expression. "N-no! We-we were just-"

"You were accusing this innocent girl of being a traitor due to your _investigation_, or lack thereof." Kazuki's voice filled with anger, but it was a righteous and honorable anger, Himeko thought. "You are a bigger fool than I thought if you were to suspect Kurusugawa."

"B-but Kazuki-sensei..."

"If you suspect Kurusugawa as a traitor, you might as well suspect me as a traitor. Do I make myself clear, captain?"

For the longest time, the captain stood silent to himself, as if he were thinking. Then, slowly but surely, he turned around to face his men. "C'mon, we're leaving. This investigation is far from over."

"But, captain!" One of the guards's protested, "Isn't this a bit short-sighted? You said it yourself that Kurusugawa-"

"You listen to me!" The captain barked, tightening his grip on the other soldier's uniform, "If Kazuki Oogami says this girl is loyal, then you better damn well believe she's loyal. C'mon, I've still got a few leads."

As the guards left, Himeko couldn't help but give a sigh of relief to the priest. For so long, Kazuki always protected her from potential harm and praised her actions. He seemed to be the right person to be Souma's father; their personalities certainly matched.

"Thank you, Oogami-sensei!" Himeko replied joyfully, bowing down.

"Kurusugawa-san, if those men try to bother you again, do not hesitate to come to me. At least I know you're very loyal to us all." The golden-haired girl couldn't help but chuckle nervously at this remark. She bit her lip, hoping not to get caught.

"Oh, I see you've brought flowers." For a moment, Himeko completely forgot the roses in her hand. Though some of the petals fell off, enough flowers survived so that Kazuki could deeply inhale their fresh scent.

"And fragrant ones, too. So Himeko, who is the lucky boy?" Himeko paused in thought, realizing that Kazuki was completely oblivious to the relationship. As she clutched the flowers, the shame reappeared once more. Did she love the princess? Was this love even allowed? Many voices yelled inside her head, unable to shut them from her mind. One side said to deny this love for she is a princess. Another cried out not to accept this love between two women. Finally, the most forbidden side of all told to embrace the princess in...Those thoughts scared her more than any form of punishment.

"Well, Oogami-sensei," Himeko started out slowly, picking her words carefully, "I-I'm not sure about this relationship. This...boy I'm seeing, he's very beautiful and kind and he always makes me feel nervous when I'm around him. But..."

"But, what?" Kazuki asked in a most sincere fashion.

"He might be, no, he definitely is on the enemy's side. I'm so sure of it, but I'm very...scared. One part of me wants to stay with my friends, and be loyal to them. Another part of me doesn't want to lose this good feeling when I'm with this other person. And then there's this part of me that says I want to be with them both. Oogami-sensei, what should I do?"

The priest's face changed from content to disturbed. He concentrated heavily, putting his hand from his sleeves and thinking quietly to himself. He closed his eyes, thinking heavily. Whatever he would say, whatever advice he would give, Himeko would listen to him. He not only sheltered her, but humored her and protected her as well. If she could count on anybody's wisdom, it would be Kazuki's.

"Himeko, I think you should stop seeing this special person." He said it bluntly, causing Himeko to gasp.

"I can understand how you feel about this situation. You're torn between your country and this boy. You feel confused as if this other side makes good points. You're even considering a compromise, a way to bring them together in peace. But, the heart can be a fickle plaything. It can give you happiness to the point where you believe you're floating but it can also send you crashing into the sea. That's why it's best to know your loyalties. Allowing your heart to rule your decisions instead of your mind can lead to chaos. Remember, love comes and goes, but your allegiance stays with you. We must always make the adult decision."

Himeko felt...shocked from his words. She thought Kazuki, of all people, would encourage her to pursue love. But he was...absolutely right. For one thing, he was correct of the heart being fickle and not knowing what it wants. And she knew that love could be harmful to the point where you want to die. But most of all, Kazuki was right about one thing: love comes and goes, but your allegiance stays with you.

"Thank you...Oogami-sensei."

* * *

Himeko once again found herself within the princess' chambers, late in the evening. As she passed the many mirrors reflecting her maid's uniform covered in dust, she saw the princess once more, dressed in a black night gown this time. As Chikane-hime's graceful figure shone in the moonlight, the golden-haired girl couldn't help but turn away and blush. If Himeko could admit one thing, it was that the princess was very beautiful.

"Himeko." The princess stepped quietly through the room, meeting the other girl with a warm kiss.

As their pink lips began to graze each other, Himeko couldn't help the feelings of warmth and comfort bubbling out. She felt hot, nervous, sweaty and happy all at the same time. Himeko's arms began to squeeze their grip on the princess, the right hand gently feeling the princess' form, small and smooth, while her left hand clutched the flowers bought earlier. The princess drew small circles on Himeko's back with her finger as she gently sighed from the brief releases of pants and gasps. It was a pleasurable warmth, a warmth that couldn't last.

"I've been thinking about you, Himeko." The princess replied, sitting down on her feathered bed. She patted down on the mattress, signaling the younger girl to sit down.

"I've been thinking about you too, Chikane-chan." _"Though,"_ Himeko thought, "_Not for the reasons you might think._"

"Here," the golden-haired girl said, holding the bush full of roses in front of her. "I got these for you."

"They're lovely," the princess replied, giving a pleasant sigh and giving them a slight sniff. But when here eyes crossed, Himeko knew something was wrong. "But they seem to be quite damaged. Did something happen?"

Himeko gave a slight shiver, realizing the flowers lost their beauty due to the chase earlier in the day. "Oh no, don't worry about that! Anyway, you look like you have something to say, so why don't you tell me?"

The princess sighed, as if she was about to unload a burden on her shoulders.

"Himeko, when we...kissed last night, I've been thinking so much about what I felt was wrong. I-I just thought that these feelings I had would never be...allowed or returned. I stayed up all night, trying to understand this...want to be with you, and to hold you."

"Chikane-chan..." Himeko looked at the princess, her deep blue eyes radiating of sincerity. Even now, the blond maid could feel the pain that Chikane-hime tried to express. But why was she telling Himeko all of this?

"I wasn't sure about why God would tempt me like this. Why he made every man, every suitor, so undesirable and insignificant. Why he would make the one person that I've waited for and longed for...to be you."

Even from the princess' speech, Himeko felt the pangs of her heart, telling it to stop wanting and start concentrating. She should've thought of a plan, or at least an exit strategy. Instead, she was listening wide-eyed to the princess' speech, a speech that could be insincere or forged. _"But Chikane-chan's eyes are always sincere, and always true. I don't think that I-_"

"Finally, I realized that even God has a reason for doing this. That if he didn't give me this...this desire to be with you and the happiness that comes with it, I wouldn't have met the most beautiful and angelic girl that has ever graced this kingdom."

Himeko then started to realize why the princess was telling her all of this. Not only did Chikane-hime confess to dismissing that this desire was not a sin, but she also became more relaxed and comfortable. She started getting closer and complementing Himeko.

"What I'm trying to say is that...I love you."

_"I love you."_ Three of the most dangerous words combined together creating an very frightening phrase. Not only did the princess trust her now, Himeko realized, but that the princess would watch her constantly, making sure she never left her sight. How could such a phrase intended to bring joy give the blond such fear? Himeko's fear began to grip at her, unsure how she would escape from this situation. Then she realized the other problem.

The princess expected Himeko to return those exact same feelings to her. Himeko, confused as ever before, wasn't sure how to respond, as if something dark had trapped her.

She could've just lied again. Himeko thought back when she lied to Chikane-hime the night before. She didn't mean to let a sliver of truth get out, but alas, her confusion caused her to mix truth with lies. If she were to confess once more, Himeko would not be able to lie. Her feelings would get tangled up and she would indeed fall in love with the princess.

Finally, two images helped her to make her decision: the first image was the picture of the school children, chained in a circle laughing at Abuki. They mocked his strange thoughts. They mocked his strange decisions. The second image, the more powerful of the two, was Kazuki Oogami giving her advice. Kazuki Oogami not only had a kind heart but a wise mind. He told her about how the heart could be fickle and how one's allegiance stays with them. Then she remembered the phrase that helped her make her choice.

_"We must always make the adult decision._" Himeko thought about what the adult decision was. The adult within her wouldn't abandon her friends. The adult within her wouldn't abandon the cause of the rebels, struggling for freedom. And the adult within her wouldn't let her feelings control her actions. She realized that she had to kill the princess, and she couldn't let her heart get tangled up in this confusion. She sighed and realized what she had to say.

"Of course you do." Himeko smiled. For some reason, the princess expression became shocked and disappointed. "I have no doubt in my mind that you love me."

Before the princess could respond to the remark, Himeko pressed her lips on the princess', covering any form of protest that Miya-sama could have said. When she had finished, she laid her head on the princess' shoulders.

Himeko Kurusugawa made the adult decision and instantly regretted it.


	8. Mind Tricks

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios.

**Mind Tricks**

Souma Oogami refused to hear another word from Makoto. She not only ran to him in the middle of the evening, but started screaming claims that Himeko was alive. _"Of all the times and all the places, did it have to be here?"_ The rebels had become...uneased and very suspicious since Tsubasa's speech. Claims about a dead assassin masquerading as a maid would undoubtibly make the situation much worse.

"But I'm telling you, I saw her!" Makoto cried, circiling around Souma, trying to prevent his departure of the conversation.

"And you said it yourself, you turned her around and it was someone else. Saotome-san, please. Himeko would not associate with the enemy." Even as Souma tried to walk behind, Makoto ran around, blocking his path.

"But maybe she's doing this to get closer. We need to go back. She might be in the castle or-"

"Are you insane?" The Oogami boy yelled, ending any protest from Saotome. "If anyone gets word of this, they'll immediately start calling Himeko a traitor."

Normally, Makoto would have smirked at the fact that Souma referred to Himeko in such a _casual_ manner, but now was not the time. Her friend was possibly in danger and she needed to get to her quick.

"Then we'll go alone, just me and you."

"Then _we're _traitors." Souma rationalized. Since the speech, withholding any information or keeping secrets was considered grounds for betrayal. Tsubasa told them that, _"The abilitiy to be deceptive and malicious is to be looked down upon. What kind of system is it when people lie to you and keep things from you? A system no better held then by the wretched Himemiyas_." Oogami shook those thoughts from his mind and stared at Makoto.

"Look, maybe I can talk to my brother and-"

"Traitor!" A lone voice called out. As both of Kurusugawa's friends gazed at the source of the voice, already the rebels had captured a middle-aged man, struggling to break free from the many men and women grabbing at his arms and legs.

"Another one?" Makoto whispered to Oogami. "That's the fourth time this week."

The man, dressed in the same rags as everyone else struggled from the mob's hands, grabbing over him. As the mob carried him over their heads, the man cried in agony trying to plead for innocence. But the mob's voice, its cries began to drown him out, with the ominous chant. "Traitor! Traitor! Traitor!" Tsubasa emerged, godlike, from his tent to watch the man be thrown to his feet. Souma and Makoto simply stood back to witness the event first hand, knowing better than to get in the way. That didn't mean they had to help either.

"Well..." Tsubasa asked in his baritone voice, sending shivers to the audience. "What have we here? A traitor, it seems, has infiltrated our midst. And what kind of betrayal, pray tell, is this man guilty of?"

A lone man, not too different from the guilty party, stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Tsubasa-sama, this man is a traitor of the mind."

The audience gasped at this accusation, staring and muttering to themselves. Makoto and Souma looked at each other with a curious expression. Just exactly could a person be a traitor of the mind?

"He has refused to believe in our cause...and has called you corrupt." The audience muttered to themselves once more. Anyone who had challenged Tsubasa-sama's ideas must suffer the fate of all traitors, death.

"Is this true?" The rebel leader asked, drawing his broadsword out, "Do you refuse to believe in this paradise I have promised? Do you refuse this Eden I speak of?"

The man barked, kneeling on the ground, "These are lies. I can see how you manipulate your words. You speak of equality, yet you demand leadership. You speak of freedom, yet I am here before you. Friends, do not listen to him! His rule would be absolute." The men and women looking down at the pitiful man, began to dismiss his ideas and booed him to the point of ignoring his ideas altogether.

"Really? Who's really manipulating the people? Is it I, the one who works hard thinking of ways of building a better future, finding ways to bring hope to our comrades? Or is it you, the person who refuses to believe what is best for the people? The one who pleads for his innocence and tries to persuade his peers? If I could, I would slay you where you stand!" The crowd gasped, hearing this from their leader.

"But it is not my decision. My comrades, what say you?"

Slowly, like a rising current, the voice of the crowd built up, becoming one voice and a single voice alone, "Traitor! Traitor! Traitor! Traitor"

As Tsubasa, raised his blade, the crowd grabbed and restrained the man, being unable to move, save his neck. Souma and Makoto shielded their eyes. The rendering of a man's head always spoiled their dinner.

* * *

The days following the princess' confession, Himeko plotted and planned how the killing would go. In between the brushing of lips and the nicks of the neck, Himeko knew that Miya-sama would be best killed in her bedroom, hidden away from all the guards. She thought slowly and carefully about the many ways that she could be killed. "_Poison wouldn't work", _Himeko thought while she innocently swept the stairs. _"Chikane...Miya-sama always has taste testers who guard the food quite well."_ Himeko made it a mental note not to address the princess as 'Chikane-chan' anymore. She needed to separate her duty from her passion, and this was the way to do it. However, nothing Himeko could think of would work. Strangling the princess or blocking her airway with a pillow would most likely fail, due to the princess' cunning and quick wit, and she would lose her only chance.

Sadly, as she thought about all of this, thinking of strangling and beatings, poisonings and stabbing, she couldn't help but feel a pain in her heart. She scratched the skin in the middle of her chest in order to stop the beating of it, to make it stop. That slow beating of the heart pained her and made her think things as if this entire process was wrong. _"Why do I keep feeling this? I want to make this place better, and I want to make Mako-chan and Oogami-kun proud, but I...I just can't._"

Then came the inevitable thought along with Souma. What happened afterwards with he and Kazuki? She was positive the boy painted in the picture was Tsubasa and it would be just like him to mug a man for his son. _"But Oogami-sensei is a grown man, maybe not a fighter, but he should have been _

_able to overtake or chase after Tsubasa-sama._" Then, she gasped. She made a starteling revelation, as if her eyes were open for the first time, as if she breathed the fresh air of the mountain.

Why didn't Kazuki search for his son?

Quickly, she whipped the broom onto her back and asked Otoha where he was. The head maid, in her usual dismissive manner, pointed Himeko towards the back of the castle. As the golden-haired girl swung the back door opened, she gasped, sheilding her eyes from the sun's rays and the inevitable beauty she witnessed.

A lake, not swampy green or filled with lily pads or moss, laid in the back. Unlike others this was man-made, a white marble for a bottom. Even now, the crystal blue waters made the sun's rays sparkle as Himeko ran her fingers through them, sending shivers down her spine. There was a serenity to the lake, calm peaceful, with nothing but the running water of the fountains to break her distraction. As she sat by the pool of clear water, she noticed a reflection of two figures: a boy with shaggy blond hair and a emerald-haired priest. Himeko quickly ran to notice Kazuki whispering to Yukihito, neither of which broke their upright stance.

"Now, Yukihito..." The priest spoke, as if he finished a long lecture, "Do you understand what I have told you?"

"Yes, sensei." The boy, in his usual garment spoke, "I'm to keep the princess occupied with various activities tomorrow to get her mind off things. But honestly, sensei, I really don't think the incident last year would really come back to haunt us. Sure, the princess looks a bit depressed, but I doubt it's going to be serious."

Himeko couldn't help but look to herself when she heard this. She scratched the skin in the middle of her own chest and began to scratch at it furiously. "_Is Chikane...Miya-sama depressed because of me?"_

"Still," the priest spoke with a firm voice, "I'm not going to take any chances. Do as you are told and keep the princess busy."

As Yukihito left, the Kazuki added a final caution. "And whatever you do, don't let her come near here!"

Himeko emerged from her resting place and approached Kazuki, alone, near the side of the pool. She walked cautiously as to not fall off to the side of the pool.

"Oogami-sensei?" Himeko asked, slowly receiving a warm smile as Kazuki turned to her.

"Ah, Kurusugawa-san. How may I help you today?" As always, the priest gave his polite and gentle voice.

"What were you and Yukihito talking about?"

The emerald-haired priest seemed to be off-put by this, not expecting questions. "Oh, it's just some...silly incident that happened last year. Nothing to concern yourself about."

Some part of Himeko wanted to know and another part of her wanted to just stop asking questions. The former thought won. "But it must be important if it concerns Miya-sama."

For a long time, Kazuki avoided Himeko's gaze and looked at the man-made pond, its fountains flowing clear water sparkling under the sun's rays. Even now, Himeko couldn't help but admire 

Kazuki's thoughtfulness and patience in responding rather than just throwing out a simple answer. It made him look...wise. Finally, his baritone voice broke out.

"Last year...Chikane-hime fell under a spell of a different sort. One of prolonged sadness, a depression if you will." Himeko nodded, wanting to know more. "The war, still going on, began to take its toll on her mental state and she...began to stop caring. We tried everything to cheer her up, to make her glad. But she was stubborn and would not accept any happiness in her heart. There was something odd about the princess. Despite all of her sadness, she never once shed a tear. She...went through a quiet sadness."

Himeko then, nodded slowly, finally understanding the hidden layer between Kazuki's words. The princess went under a severe depression, as if it were a cloak that could not be shaken off. Finally, not being able to take it anymore, she must have done something drastic, something sever that might have upset the whole kingdom. _"She tried to drown herself in the pond."_ Himeko thought.

"It was during the Great Ball. The Elders and I had arrived at the same conclusion, that the princess was simply lonely. So we came up with an idea to throw a ball to bring the princess as many suitors as we can. Of course, we kept the event private, not wanting to incur the wrath of the rebels. You should have been there, Kurusugawa-san. Even if the princess was still in her depressed state, the castle never looked lovelier. Any boy that came from any place greeted the princess and offered to be her groom."

Himeko shook her head, knowing that Miya-sama would take no man to be or ever hope to be her groom.

"Then, it happened. Chikane-hime seemed to get away from us and we followed her. She was halfway down the bottom when we pulled her up from the drink. She was shaken, but okay."

"Is...She alright?" Himeko asked. For a moment, she felt a tinge of concern for the princess.

"Oh, she'll be fine. She just needs to forget the painful moments of the past and concentrate on the present." Kazuki grinned, as a vain attempt to lighten the mood between him and the golden-haired girl.

"Is that why...you didn't look for your son?"

The priest was taken aback by this statement. He looked at the girl with a grim face, as if this unsettled him. "Kurusugawa-san, I believe that's a private affair on my own part and not part of this conversation."

"But, didn't you at least try to find him? I mean, he was your son! You cared for him, and you shouldn't abandon people you love, not when you could have tried harder to talk to them or find them." During this speech, Himeko's amethyst eyes began to water, tears of sorrow began to run down her cheeks. Somehow, Kazuki knew that Himeko wasn't just talking about him and his son. "You...you shouldn't have run away."

Kazuki sighed, and bent forward to tend to the golden-haired girl, wiping her tears with his gentle smooth hands. "Himeko, I did try to find my son. I looked everywhere for him. But when so much time had passed, I told myself to let go and forget the past. Sometimes, what we have now is so much better than what we used to have. We just have to let go. Can you do that, Kurusugawa-san?"

Himeko nodded, having more questions than answers.

* * *

The blond maid felt torn, unsure what course of action to take. As she ascended the stairs, she looked at her pocket watch, remembering that the sun had set, and Makoto had watched it without Himeko.

_"We must always make the adult decision."_ What was the adult decision? Was it to be loyal to Makoto and Souma? Was it to confess to the princess about who her true identity? Maybe, it was the ability to take one's life. What did it mean to be an adult? She wasn't Chikane-hime; she never ran a kingdom and she never led an army. Himeko, 16 years of age, felt to be furthest from being an adult.

"_Sometimes, what we have now is so much better than what we used to have. We just have to let go._" Did Kazuki mean to let go of her friends? Did he mean to let go Makoto, a sister to her, who always protected her? Did he mean to let go of Souma, to abandon him as he did all those years ago. And was this life better? To live a secret only to be cradled and comforted by soft, warm kisses?

As her heart itched once more, she knocked on the princess' door. The door creaked open to reveal the princess, her blue hair tinted with green flowing down to her chest, while she had adorned a red nightgown, able to see her shapely form.

_"Why does she have to be so beautiful?_" Himeko thought.

"Um...Chikane-hime?" The golden-haired maid asked, her high-pitched voice sounding very innocent.

"What is it, Himeko?" The princess smiled. Himeko swallowed hard. Even after avoiding her glances and not returning her love, Miya-sama always comforted Himeko with the tenderness of her husky voice and the warmth it carried. A voice, as soft and as smooth as hers, never ceased to bring guilt to the smaller girl. Himeko shook her head. She wasn't here for that. She was here to find a way to kill the princess, and do it as soon as possible.

"Can...I come in?" Himeko could tell that from the warm grin she received, that the princess more than willingly opened the door for her. She entered, the night light making the room a familiar deep blue as the moon glistened once more, half-empty tonight. She walked slowly and causally, looking at herself at the many mirrors. Himeko had spent so long masquerading as a maid, that she had nearly forgotten what she looked like in anything else.

Himeko sat slowly on the feathered mattress, only to be joined by the princess herself. Chikane-hime moved slow and gracefully, taking a seat next to the the quite blond. The princess surpised her quickly, brushing her soft lips as her hands roamed freely around her back. It even seemed that Himeko's body fought a war on itself. Her lips and her entire face felt a gentle heat rise around it as her heart became cold, bitter and frozen with no chance of thawing. She ended the kiss early, unsure how long she could keep pretending.

"May I ask you something?" The blond asked, not sure how to find out the truth of the matter.

As Miya-sama nodded, Himeko's mind asked itself, what did she really want to find out? Did she want to find out why the princess killed herself, to find out the true story? Or did she want to find out a convenient method to ending the princess' life. Either way, it came down to a single question.

"Last year, did something happen at the Great Ball?"

The princess gave a slight gasp, hearing the words from the maid's mouth. For an instant, Himeko wanted to take back those words, wanted to apologize and change the subject. But Chikane-hime smiled awkwardly, as if the situation still saddened her.

"Oogami-sensei still worries about me, doesn't he?"

"Chikane-chan..." Himeko looked into the deep blue orbs, seeing just as Kazuki described it, a quiet sadness, one that rarely shed tears.

"It's...nothing, Himeko. It was just a childish event that happened in my life." The princess tried to laugh, as if to deny the situation or make it into a poorly written joke.

"I was young, naive. It's not important, considering all the events regular people go through every day."

"It must be important," Himeko interrupted, "If it caused you to be sad. So please, tell me."

For a while, Chikane-hime didn't look at the golden-haired maid and concentrated on the window, showing the moon lit so white as the stars shone brilliantly. Then the princess with a false smile on her face turned to the maid, and said, "You'll laugh."

"I won't laugh, Chikane-chan, I promise!" Himeko winced, hearing herself call the princess informally. She thought she had finally conquered to stop being so personal with the princess. She wasn't supposed to feel like this and yet...she still did.

"...A year ago, I felt very strange. It was as if a curse fell upon me, a princess who couldn't save her kingdom when she could play the piano so well, read very fluently and looked like a goddess. Sometimes, I pitied the people and wanted to be as close as I could to them. But I...couldn't. Then, a darkness surrounded my heart as if I were drowning, as if I would trade anything, my kingdom, my people or my own life to be rid of this sadness. It's silly, isn't it? I have anything anyone could possibly want, yet I would trade it away."

Himeko slowly shook her head. "I don't think it's silly at all."

The princess smirked, hearing something pleasant for once, "I was so...ungrateful, I shouldn't have thought these feelings of envy and pity. Then, Oogami-sensei and the Elders thought of a mad scheme, trying to pair me up with some suitors from other countries, so that I may have a groom. I overheard one of them, hearing them say, 'she never understood pain'. That made my...heart ache."

"That wasn't nice of them to say!" Himeko cried, wanting to defend the azure-haired princess.

"But it makes sense. I never starved on the street, or worked until my bones ached or even wrote anything worthwhile. What do I know about pain? I guess, part of me did it in order to prove a point. To prove that I was alone in my pain. If it wasn't for Oogami-sensei, my country would've surely mocked such a chidish act." Himeko paused and listed to the princess' words. _"Oogami-sensei saved Chikane-chan? Why didn't he mention this before?_"

"I guess part of me wanted to...die alone. To show everyone how...lonely I was."

Himeko couldn't stop. The princess' story moved the golden-haired girl to the point of sadness and despair. She not only felt pity for the princess but understood that loneliness, that want to prove a point. Himeko couldn't stop crying because she felt every ounce of pain from the princess.

"Chikane-chan!" She sobbed, plunging into Miya-sama's chest. "Don't do that again! Promise me you won't die alone!"

"Himeko..." Chikane-hime said in a slow, emotional manner.

"Promise me!" Then, Himeko's head tilted up, from the gentle lift from Chikane-hime's fingers.

"I promise." Their lips brushed once more, before the maid left the room.

* * *

_"I couldn't do it._" The golden-haired girl thought to herself. _"I couldn't do it."_ After all the planning, the princess did something Himeko never expected her to do, she let her inside her heart. After all this time, Himeko still couldn't remove herself from the situation. She still felt sympathy or pity or whatever the painful feeling she felt for the princess.

She removed the knife, taken subtly from the kitchen, from the back of her dress. She clutched in it her hands, still feeling the pain of the story.

"_You won't die all by yourself, Chikane-chan,_" Himeko thought, staring down at the knife. _"I promise."_


	9. Sodom and Gomorrah

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios.

(**A/N:**The following chapter contains an explicit scene of sexual intercourse between two girls. If you are uncomfortable with reading such material, please skip to the next chapter or read another fanfiction. Again, I **do not** condemn any homosexual act or bible quote. This is merely a work of fiction.)

**Sodom and Gomorrah**

The longest time Chikane Himemiya had ever spent in the library was when she was barely five years old, losing her sense of surroundings due to the rows among rows of books. Normally, this would have frightened any other child to the point of sobbing and crying, but the princess instead, found comfort amongst the rows and rows of stories before her. In fact, when they did find her, she refused to leave until she found out what fate had befallen the mermaid and the man she fell in love with.

Now, as the young head of a kingdom, she once again lost herself in books, finding and searching through rows of books until she happened upon a very lovely novel.

_"Gustafan, spent, lay on the matress, his firm hands that once grabbed Isabell's soft and massive breasts now lay numb from all the energy that had went into their love making. Isabell, her midnight black hair covering her hardened teats, walked over to the exhausted Gustafan, and ran her delicate fingers through his golden locks, as smooth as his buttocks the night before. Gustafan, with his developing stubble, gave Isabell a confident smile, as if he knew he did a splendid job last night. Who could blame him? If there was one thing the rogue was right about, it was that he kept his promise. Then, Isabell, her porcelin figure glistening with afterglow, leaned over and brushed her lips on Gustafan's rough skin."_

_"Oh, Gustafan, I love you_._"_

_"And I love you, my dear Isabell_."

I love you. As the princess gazed at the prose before her, she whispered those words to herself, wondering what they would sound like echoed from the high-pitched angel's voice. Maybe the voice would began high noted, emphazising the golden-haired beauty first but then lower to address the princess herself. Maybe, the speech would be like a hill, starting off low then rising to an angelic note only to fall back down, noting that love in the middle and addressing both girls as equals. Or maybe, just maybe, the highest pitch would be at the end, showing that love was only for the princess.

Regardless of what it sounded like, how such words would sound like honey in the princess' ears, she knew it wouldn't be possible. Even with all the love and all the affection that Chikane-hime had given the maid, some part of her knew that her feelings would go unreturned, as if thrown away like rotten vegetables. Slowly, but surely, she closed the book, its tan pages held within and sighed. _"I love you, Chikane-chan._" Those words she would give anything to hear.

"Miya-sama!" The princess lifted her head to find the source of concern. Her eyes met the old record keeper, his clothes covered in dust, inching slowly towards the princess.

"Oh, gomenasai, esteemed librarian." Chikane-hime apologized, "I did not mean to disturb you. I was merely lost within this book and-"

"No, no." The librarian replied with a laugh. "I was just afraid that we had lost our princess again within the rows and rows of these books." The library itself seemed to dwarf any manmade structure. Books, covered in dust, filled shelves among shelves creating walls of books. The librarian once joked that the only thing missing was the Minotaur, though only the royal family caught the reference of Jason and the Golden Fleece. As the man grabbed a random book and polished it for good measure, he couldn't help but give a suspicious look at the azure-haired princess.

"But why are you here on a sunny day like this? A royal figure like yourself should be outside, enjoying the sunlight and showing the kingdom your splendid beauty."

"I found a book I was looking for. May I borrow it for a few days?" Miya-sama could see the answer before words were uttered out of grinning mouth.

"Why, of course you can! I'll just take this book and record it on my records." When the princess gave the book to the book keeper, she instantly regretted it, knowing what title and implications the book held.

"The Adventures of the Gallant Gustafan and his lover Isabell? Isn't this a bit mature for one such as yourself, Miya-sama?" The princess held her head high, not showing any sort of emotion, though she certainly felt a rush of blood to her cheeks.

"Not to worry, I won't judge." The librarian smiled as he recorded the book on to his parchment. Due to possible embarrasment or shame, the princess snapped the book out of his hand and rushed toward the exit, her slender heels clicking in the distance. The librarian gasped and mentally scolded himself.

He had forgotten to tell Chikane-hime when the book was due back.

* * *

Souma Oogami watched as his brother's plan had worked as expected. The once noisy rebel camp had become mute. Literally no one spoke a word unless necessary and even then, chose those words carefully. The fear of being called a traitor or even the slightest suspicion was to be feared around the camp. No one dared to speak against Tsubasa or his grand plan. In short, complete obedience had been achieved.

He passed toward the center of camp, the sun's orange glow fading, and couldn't help feel that the rebels were becoming weaker than stronger. The people were united and rallied with fear rather than conviction. With a good quarter of the camp executed, it wasn't surpising that people didn't talk as much as they did about the royal family. Most people stopped talking altogether.

"Jin-sama! Jin-sama!" The Oogami boy sighed realizing where the voice came from.

Looking behind him, he saw a patch of brown hair running towards him. The boy's usual calm expression had changed to frustration as he was met face to face, in the middle of camp, with a frown. Unlike a playful pout Makoto Saotome usually had, she wore a frown showing both frustration and anger.

"Please, Saotome-san." The boy replied rubbing his head, "I told you that Kurusugawa-san will be alright." Ever since the incident at the marketplace, the girl was more than determined to find her best friend, and by the look on her emerald-green eyes, she was probably about to ask Oogami for assistance once more.

"Look, I'm going to find Himeko with or without you, but before that, there's something I need to talk with you first. In private." The boy nodded. It wasn't long before the two of them were alone in Makoto's tent. Inside, there were scrolls among scrolls of maps as well as knives, swords and hooks laying about the tent. As Makoto checked her black uniform against the clothes she presently wore, she spoke.

"Jin-sama...I...I'm"

"Whatever it is, just say it," Souma felt good at one of the rare moments he could be sincere and not annoyed with Saotome, "I'll understand."

"It's just that, your brother. I'm really bothered by him." Oogami became less than understanding at that point. His brother, the one who had raised him since his orphanage, did everything he could to ensure their victory. And now, he was about to receive criticism for his methods. The young boy's eyes became furrowed. He wasn't going to let the rebel leader become insulted.

"Don't talk about Tsubasa like that."

"Don't you see," the girl replied with a angry conviction. "Whatever happened on that 'journey' of his, it's completely changed him. It's like he...he-I don't know but, I don't like it. If he's like this now, imagine what will happen when he controls the kingdom."

"Stop it," Souma replied his voice getting louder. "I don't want to hear any of this anymore, you understand? Besides, he will not control the kingdom. The people will."

"And who's controlling the people?" Makoto asked, not receiving any response.

"Listen to me," The girl's voice grew louder to match with the boy's voice and his irritation. "You may owe him a lot, but whatever he was, he left it behind. That's not your brother. He's nothing more than a vicious tyrant and-"

"That's enough," Souma yelled, his adolescent voice filling the tent. "You say another word, and I just might call you a traitor!"

Makoto became deadly silent at Oogami's sudden outburst. Something had changed in him. His once calm eyes became narrow and darkened. His hair became unruly and messy and his voice became distorted and loud. But, most of all, Saotome felt this sort of aura around him, as if a darkness had enveloped him in a purple light. When Souma realized the damage of his words, his calm face returned again.

"Gomenasai," Oogami replied. "I didn't mean to-I need to go."

"Please," The girl cried, Souma about to leave the tent, "Just think about what I've said."

The boy nodded as he left.

* * *

Himeko Kurusugawa noticed something different about the princess when she went to the glass-filled bedroom that night. Maybe she wore an expression of fear or of hesitance, but whatever emotion that she wore on her cold face, Chikane-hime was hard to read. After a while, Himeko settled to the familiar settings: the moonlight shining through the veiled window sill, the princess' perfect form showing out of her body and warm, wet lips that never failed to raise Himeko's body temperature a few degrees. But just as they were to embrace their hidden affections, the princess pulled back, and gazed at the girl.

"Himeko..." Miya-sama's deep pools of saphire stared deep into the golden-haired girl's amethyst eyes. "Are...you uncomfortable with this?"

The blond maid shook her head, "No, Chikane-chan! I'm really comfortable with this." Her answer, as always chose its words carefully, choosing neither to tell a bold-faced lie or an absolute truth. She simple spoke in answers that addressed the question.

"Because...I really love you, and I want us to prove our love to each other." Himeko's eye's opened up, showing the hidden meaning of these words. 'To prove our love for each other' meant that the princess wasn't convinced or perhaps that she wasn't satisfied. Could it be that the princess wanted more, such as a confession from Himeko or was she being delusional about her mission? Whatever the case, Himeko listened with open ears.

"I found a book." The princess said in a slow manner, pulling out a simple brown leather-back novel. Himeko felt the smoth cover, endowed with golden letters. The title, The Adventures of the Gallant Gustafan and his lover Isabell, provoked suspicions in the girl. "I didn't know what I was reading at first, let alone why I read it, but it said some things that...I'd like us to try." Himeko gave a confused expression before the princess turned to a page with a folded corner.

_"Gustafan, his body shaped out of pure marble, lay his Isabell on a pile of hay. He smirked, staring at her bare chest. Then, slowly as an artist took his time with a painting and as a artisan took his time with pottery, Gustafan put his mouth on Isabell's hardened teats on sucked upon them as a newborn child would."_Himeko gasped at the very thought of this. The book, through its perversity, had planted ideas and different sort of thoughts within Himeko. Himeko certainly had a mouth, and Chikane-hime certainly had...the assets necessary. Could this book provide a way to do something that, Himeko once thought, was only limited between a man and a woman?

"There's more." The princess said in a slow and thoughtful manner. Turning to another page, she pointed to a passage with more text. "_Gustafan, after his tongue had their way this Isabell's breasts, traced his fingers down to the very thing he desired, Isabell's soft, pink, warm womanhood. It could've been easy for another man, to simply insert his enlongated shaft into a woman and be done with her. But tonight wasn't about Gustafan. It was about Isabell. As if a stroke of brilliance came upon him, he took his thick and massive index and middle finger and slowly inserted it into the core of Isabell, ellicting a thick shudder from her."_Himeko gasped at the very sight of this. This book not only gave perverse thoughts but opened new doors thought closed. She couldn't stop but stare at Chikane-hime's fingers, though they were much smaller than in the novel.

"Just one last part." Miya-sama turned to the final page, folded at the corner, to reveal more text and more than likely, more ideas. "_It looked as if Isabell had reached her limit. One more subtle movement of his calloused fingers and the girl would surely erupt with pleasure. Slowly, as not to create a response, he removed his wet fingers out of her, and ran them through his mouth. The taste, at first sweet like honey only to become bitter like a lemon, caused a lustful hunger within Gustafan. Wanting more, Gustafan positioned his mouth near Isabell's core and inserted his long, siliva covered-"_

Himeko closed the book, now suddenly sweaty and her mind full of very dirty thoughts. She rose from the bed and started walking very quickly to the chamber door when a cry from Chikane-hime's silk voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Himeko," the golden-haired maid stopped, and turned seeing the hurt look on the princess' face. "I...I understand. If you wish to...leave, I won't stop you."

The girl, her hand gripped at the blackened and rough circle for a handle, didn't know what she wanted and wasn't as sure as the princess could be. Part of her wanted to run away, to keep running until she was in the warm arms of Makoto and Souma again. Part of her wanted to forget the proposal of the princess and keep on being a maid, being as she was and not doing anything about it. Then, there was the part of her that wanted to accept Chikane-hime's offer and kiss her and pleasure her in ways she had never done before. Himeko was tired of this. She hated war and now her body, her mind and her soul were in constant war with each other.

She wanted to stop feeling confused, and the easiest way to do it was sitting on the feathered mattress.

Himeko pulled her hand away from the circular knob, sat on the mattress, rubbed her hand on the princess' cheek and gave her a warm kiss.

"Okay, I'll do it."

The princess smiled as she slowly undressed the maid. Tonight would be their night.

* * *

Kazuki Oogami wore a smile even on a troublesome day like this. Aside from having to check in on the church, ensuring the financial matters of the kingdom were stable and making time to address the common people, he could not find one trace of the princess. Whatever mischief she was getting herself into this past month, it had to stop, for the sake of the kingdom. He felt his back ache, asking his young ward to rub it as they made their way to the library.

"Ah! Esteemed Oogami-sensei, what brings you here on this fine evening?" The librarian asked, dusting off the books on his shelves.

"Just the usual, esteemed librarian. One of these books must have some sort of strategy to beat the rebels without killing them. Yukihito, you know what to do." He gestured towards the shelves, sending his young assistant to .go find them.

"Funny you should mention that." The librarian said in a somewhat dejected manner. "I was just talking with my cousin Boris, you know the one who works in the flower shop, and we couldn't help but wonder if you knew if the war was going to end soon."

The priest sighed, "Unfortunately, I have no easy answers for that. The rebels are hidden somewhere deep in The Great Forest. Finding them means having to divide our forces, thus weakening our defenses. Even if we found the rebels, slaughtering them all would result in destabilization. Not enough people, not enough work for the kingdom."

"Rumor has it that the absence of attacks means the war has ended." The librarian said in an almost hopeful manner.

"I honestly doubt that," Kazuki said with a disappointed tone, "If anything, it means that the rebels are planning something big. If they win, it means complete anarchy. But at the same time, if we receive Pantera as our aide, we'll be forfeiting any freedom."

"I believe the expression goes, 'caught between Scylla and Charybdis'" The old record keeper mused, reciting a passage from Homer's _The Odyssey_.

For the first time today, the priest laughed. "I couldn't have said it better myself, esteemed librarian. Yukihito, have you found anything?"

"Sorry, sensei, but I could find nothing." Kazuki sighed as he motioned towards the door.

"Well, tomorrow's another day. Farewell, esteemed librarian."

Just as the priest and his ward were about to exit the library, the record-keeper called out, "Oh! And if you see the princess, tell her the book is due back in a week."

"Book?" The priest said, "What book?"

"Why, The Adventures of the Gallant Gustafan and his lover Isabell" A brief moment of shock came over the priest, as he motioned to his ward.

"Come, Yukihito! We haven't a moment to spare."

* * *

Himeko Kurusugawa, lying on the feathered mattress stared at Chikane-hime's well-endowed breasts, a sight rarely seen by anyone else. They were as large as they were beautiful. Himeko couldn't help but notice how the princess' nipples began to grow harder and rock-like with each passing moment. She merely shied in comparison, gazing at her own petite breasts and thought of how small they were.

The princess wasted no time undressing the golden-haired maid as she pushed her mouth, forcing her tongue to meet with Himeko's. They tangled, shifting and moving into each others mouths, wanting more and more of the others warm kisses. As they did so, Himeko couldn't help but gasp at the gentle touch of Chikane-hime's hands as they rubbed and groped her small breasts. She wouldn't believe how the priness' fingers played with her nipples as if they were gentle keys on the piano. Slowly, she began to run her tongue on them, causing a pleasant gasp from Himeko. It wasn't long before the princess began to suck on the left breast while her fingers groped the other. Each siliva covered lick caused a greater and more spine-tingling moan from the golden-haired girl. Then, as the princess forced her mouth from Himeko's nipple to her navel, she felt Chikane-hime's fingers sliding around her outer thigh.

Himeko considered not letting the princess in. There could have been other ways to get into the princess' heart. But, sinful as it sounded, traittorious as it sounded, evil as it sounded, Himeko wanted this. She wanted to understand what she wanted: to free the rebels or pursue a forbidden love. Eventually though, all thought melted away as the princess used her tongue to fiddle with Himeko's navel. Finally, she wanted to know. Even if her mind and her heart would deny it, her body wouldn't.

Slowly, she spread her legs, revealing the wonderfully pink and wet interior to the princess.

She watched as the princess explored her, and toyed with her. First, she simply ran her thin fingers on the outer opening, sending greater shivers through Himeko's body. Then, she positioned her mouth causing Himeko to believe that a pink saliva-covered muscle would soon be inside her, breaking all that was sacred. The golden-haired maid gasped only to realize that a tongue did not come but rather a hot, steamy breath. The slow breaths of the princess played with her insides, creating more warm liquid, soaking into the sheets. She winced, wanting to receive it already. Then, the azure-haired princess said something, making Himeko drop her guard.

"I love you." Her husky, smooth voice said it seductivly, telling Himeko such a thing was a matter of love, not lust. Then, she felt the tongue inserted into her womanhood.

She have a slow shriek, not a painful one but one that was filled with overbearing pleasure. That was it; she was no longer pure. She had officially violated what was sacred and she couldn't help but scream in pleasure. Her hands gripped the sheets tightly, wanting more pleasure to ensue. The tongue ran up and forth her inner walls, causing slow moans and high-pitched squeaks. Then, the tongue flickered at, as Himeko understood, her inner mound, deep inside her. It rolled and played with it, touched it, rubbed it and made it wetter. When Himeko felt the pleasure build, when she felt as if she couldn't take anymore without bursting out in love, the princess pulled back. Himeko gasped and whined, as if the absence of something so pleasurable caused her great pain. Then, the princess smirked, inserting two fingers, her left index and middle, deep inside Himeko.

Himeko shrieked with pleasure as if her mind numbed in the process and all inhibitors turned off.

She squirmed and flinched wanting more of the tender fingers within her. Slowly, the princess' fingers ran against the walls at a inching pace, toying with Himeko who had received so much more pleasure. Then, the fingers, understanding the high pitched whines, began to get faster, rubbing the walls and playing with the inner mound. Himeko's breaths began to gasp, wanting more and more. Eventually the princess' work had caused the golden-haired girl to pant short high pitched squeaks. "Ah ah ah ah" Eventually, the short breaks of silence began to gt shorter as the pace quicken. Finally, Himeko could not take any more. From the kisses, to the rubbing to the intense wet pleasure she felt from the princess' movements within her. Himeko burst with love, both in the metaphorical and literal sense. As her mind numbed with the euphoria before her, she fought it with all her effort and got to her feet.

It was her turn to pleasure the princess.

Himeko started out slowly, mounting the princess. She began with tongue filled kisses, lucious and wet as the princess had given her. She began kissing at the neck, so thin and strong, the cheek, holding nothing but her thin skeleton which Himeko marveled. Then the kisses went to her arms, her breasts, her sides, her breasts again and just as she was going to pleasure the very spot that the princess had taken so much time with her, she paused. The sight of it was...marvelous. She did not stare at the inner core of the princess, but the mound of flesh before it. Himeko looked up at the princess and looked back at the mound.

Chikane Himemiya, in all of her glory, had no pubic hair.

Unlike Himeko's, which was covered in a thick tangled curl of a mess, there were no stray hairs, no curly or root-like strands that tangled or intertwined with each other. There was simply a mound of flesh with a slit in the middle leading to the princess' insides. Himeko felt it, her fingers unable to find any stubble or any trace of hair ever being there. If she was shaved, the princess had not cutting marks or any scars from it. If she never shaved at all, then...it was a miracle of sorts. Himeko turned upwards, looking her in the eye.

"You really are a princess, aren't you?"

The princess gave Himeko's cheek a gentle rub with her hand. "Please, don't say such things. Just, do what you wanted to do." Himeko nodded understanding. She rose, staring at the large set of breasts of the princess and, without hesitation, forced her mouth on the hardened right nipple. Though, Himeko kissed the princess' breasts all over, she felt the pleasure being past on to her, the taste of the breasts seemingly giving her a sense of confidence, of understanding. She lifted herself, a great effort made harder due to the constant movement of the massive mounds of flesh. She finally reached the down to the area that intrigued her the most. She slowly rubbed the outer thigh, as if an invitation to a sacred place, and the princess accepted, spreading her legs. Himeko couldn't help but gasp at the wonder she held in her sight. Himeko saw a wonderfully pink opening with hot fluid leaking out.

Unsure what to do, she mimicked Chikane-hime's actions and forced two fingers within her. Though the princess gave a mind-numbing moan, it was Himeko who felt the very presence within her. Inside felt so inviting and so warm. Unlike boiling water, the princess' fluid was not scalding but like melted butter or warmed honey, Himeko felt the sweetness of it before even having a taste of it. Then, she pushed and pulled her fingers back and forth, fiddling with Chikane-hime's inner mound. The ebb and flow of her hand, quickening, started to elict wonderful, heart-fulled gasps and moans. The princess even shrieked, due to the immense pleasure she felt. Himeko could feel it. The princess was at her breaking point. The gasps and the moans told everything. So, seeing this opportunity, Himeko pulled back, and stared at the princess.

Chikane-hime squirmed with dissatisfaction, as if Himeko didn't finish what she had started. "Himeko, please." She bit her lip and moaned for more pleasure.

"I just need to know one thing."

"Oh, please!" The princess grasped at the sheets for dear life, rolling to her sides.

"Do you love me? Truly love me?"

The princess yelled out with loud gasps, "Yes! I love you. I want to hold you in my arms and carry you off as my queen!"

Himeko wasn't satisfied. "Even...if I stopped pleasuring you here and now?"

For a moment, the princess calmed herself, and rose her head, staring at Himeko, looking at her with a straight face. "Yes. Yes, I would."

Himeko nodded, and kneeled before the footing of the bed, resuming her work. She finally pushed her tongue into Chikane-hime's womanhood. The princess began to moan and squirm, her legs possibly figeting in all directions. Himeko let her tongue run inside the soft walls and push against the inner mound. Gustafan was wrong. The taste wasn't like honey, but as sweet as pure necter with a bitter aftertaste stronger than lemon, yet all the more addictive. Himeko craved more as the princess couldn't help but elicit a strong scream, her silk voice piercing the heavens. Himeko's tongue ran faster, rubbing, flickering and tasting all before Chikane-hime let out the loudest moan of all. And Himeko's mouth was filled with hot, delicious fluid, tasting ever bittersweet.

"Oh, I love you, Himeko." The princess said with tears in her eyes.

Himeko nodded, not giving her answer through her words. They kissed before resting for the night.

* * *

Himeko, rose up before her lover, barely getting an hour's sleep. The moonlight still pierced the room, causing a sad blue atmosphere to stay in. She rose up and tied her maid's uniform back up. She looked back at her lover, naked, spent, and thought of all the things she had said_. "I want to hold you in my arms and carry you off as my queen_." Such promises, Himeko knew, were lies. Even if, in all of her spasms, the princess was telling the truth, what kingdom would accept two queens? Himeko sighed, staring at the moonlight, when she noticed a piece of shining metal in the corner of her eye. She turned around, looking below the bed, seeing a familiar item on the ground. On it, was the name Tsubasa. Himeko gasped. It was Tsubasa's knife, the knife Tsubasa gave her to kill the princess.

She picked it up, looking how its condition was kept perfectly sharp these weeks. She watched as it shone in the moonlight_. "Otoha and the other maids must not have noticed it_." She looked at the knife, and looked at the princess, asleep in her naked beauty. Himeko Kurusugawa was given the perfect opportunity to kill the royal bloodline. She gripped it tightly, unsure what she would do. Himeko could kill the princess and end the war, giving peace to her friends. She could take it and throw it away, so that no one could find it. She slowly inched towards the princess, the knife raised above her.

_"I love you, Himeko_." She couldn't do it. Himeko paused in her hesitation and burst in tears, wiping them on her maid's uniform. All this time, all this trouble only to hesitate once more. She felt as if she_ knew_. She knew all along she couldn't kill someone so beautiful and she couldn't stop crying about it. Then, as she was about to admit defeat, a voice called out in the distance.

"Damned castle!" A deep baritone voice called out in the distance. "So large and dark that you can't navigate at night. Come, Yukihito! I think it's right here!" Himeko felt the panic inside her. Quickly, she tucked the knife in the helm of her dress and ducked underneath the bed, unsure who had come. Finally the door burst open.

Kazuki Oogami and his ward, gasped at what they saw.

Slowly, the green-haired priest stepped forward, a torch held by his following assistant, coming near the princess. The boy nearly choked at the princess' perfect form, but Kazuki was unmoved. Slowly, he bent down, causing Himeko to believe she had been found. Instead, he ran his fingers on the bed, feeling some of the wet liquit and smelling it. His eyes soon became something Himeko would've never expected. They became angry.

"Yukihito, burn the sheets." The priest said quietly, his hands coming our of his giant sleeves.

"What?" The boy said, sharing in Himeko's confusion.

"You heard me, boy! Burn the sheets. No, not here, you idiot! Take them out in the back and burn them!" Himeko had never heard such exhertion of the voice and never would have expect this from the polite priest.

"What if somebody sees the fire?"

"Better they see a fire than see _this_!" He yelled, pointing to, what Himeko believed, the stained sheets. The boy immediately began to work, his feet not noticing the girl underneath. As he pulled the sheets out of their tucked states, Kazuki shook the princess awake. The princess' azure hair fell as she sat up from the bed.

"Oogami-sensei." The princess spoke in a calm usual manner. "Please, forgive my...manners. I was just feeling warm tonight and-"

"Get dressed. Now." The priest spoke in abrupt words. Himeko couldn't believe Kazuki had the will to do such a thing, and in front of royalty no less.

"I must refuse, Oogami-sensei. I am very tired at this moment and would like to get some-" A sound hit Himeko's ears louder than any scream, any moan, any gasp. It was the sound of broken trust. It was the sound of disillusionment and the end of a bond. It was the sound of a breaking of face, of lost of reputation. It was the sound of someone's words, someone's solemn advice being all but lies in the face of this. Quite simply, it was the sound of flesh hitting flesh.

Chikane-hime held her right cheek, fresh from Kazuki's backhand.

"You _will_ get dressed and you _will_come with us. Now!" Himeko couldn't help but cry. If not for Chikane, facing the full wrath of Kazuki Oogami, then for herself, losing a father twice.

* * *

"This is a very simple question." The priest asked, becoming all the more impatient. The princess huffed, knowing the truth behind such a question. "One you have refused to answer the entirety of this evening."

The princess' eyes looked straight at the dungeon wall. In her childhood, she had been taken many times here as a form of punishment, as if seeing prisoners locked and chained to the walls was supposed to teach her something. Chikane-hime imagined that it was supposed to remind her to behave well and she would't face the same type of torture as the prisoners. The princess was never very good at following directions.

"Who...was...inside...of you?" The priest asked, his temper ever growing shorter. The princess smirked, refusing to give any answer.

"I raised you. I taught you how to walk, how to ride a horse, how to aim with a bow and arrow, and how to become a princess. I've been a second father to you. I, at least, have the right to know who took your purity!" The princess smirked once more, staring at the dungeon wall. It was true, the priest had raised her. The priest had taught her many things and raised her in the absence of her father. But there were some things that even she wouldn't tell her father.

"Maybe you don't understand the situation, Chikane-hime." Kazuki's voice rose to a familiar tone once more. The princess settled in to another lecture. "You are the head of a dying kingdom. The only thing that rallies your people is the fact that you are a goddess. An untouched goddess. A virgin. Now, imagine what kind of image you send to your people, showing them a stained mattress. They will riot and they will overthrow you. I'm the only chance you've got of containing this crisis. So you better start telling me who you were with, otherwise, I'll lose my patience."

The princess smiled, not even flinching for one moment. "I thought God teaches us to practice patience."

The priest nearly exploded with anger, grabbing the princess by the neck. "I'm so glad you find this funny. I think it'll be especially funny when you deliver a bastard prince."

At this comment, the princess couldn't help but giggle. All this time, the priest still believed a man had taken her. "_Poor Kazuki should've realized at the Great Ball,"_ Even in an unpleasant and overbearing situation like this, she could still laugh at the knowledge she alone possessed.

"I really didn't want to do this, but I guess, I'll have to teach you a few manners-"

The door burst open. Rather than the priest's assistant, most likely still burning the sheets out back, it was a golden-haired maid with amethyst eyes. Her orbs filled with tears seeing the princess being interrogated at the chair. She took in a deep breath and stepped forward.

"Himeko?" The priest said, his voice still drenched in anger. "What are you doing here of all places, during the dead of night?"

The girl's voice quivered and gave a soft whine before she could answer. The look of hurt in her face, the tears running down each cheek, the princess knew what the maid was going to do. Chikane-hime had to work fast. Her reputation meant nothing. Himeko's reputation, however, wasn't as expendable.

"I took myself!" The princess cried, causing muteness to both the maid and the priest.

"Excuse me?" The priest asked, not being stupid but very disgusted by the confession.

"I certainly have an imagination, don't I? So what is to say that I didn't take my imagination to a physical state?" Like a sword to the stomach, the princess did what was necessary to save the golden-haired child, and ensure that she was protected at all costs. "_For Himeko, I thousand times I would do it._" She thought, as Kazuki ran to her and looked her as a disapointed father would.

"You...are going to the monostary for a long time." Kazuki asked, his voice becoming dark and rough, "Maybe God's a bit more forgiving that I am. We'll talk in the morning. Your mischief makes me tired."

As Kazuki gently pushed the maid aside, he opened the door about to exit, when the princess called out. "Aren't my affections important, sensei? I am the princess after all, so don't my affairs matter?"

The priest, his face contorted with anger looked back over his shoulder.

"You don't matter, little girl. Your little lusts, your perverse actions don't matter. The kingdom...the kingdom of Mahoroba is all that matters. And if you ever forget that, I will beat it into you once more."

The priest left, sending a surge of shock to Himeko. The girl was unable to move, even as the princess comforted her.

"Chikane-chan..." The girl started, unsure how to respond. "Why...why did you-"

"Because I'm used to Oogami-sensei's talks of punishment and behavior. It's you I'm worried about." Himeko nodded in response. Was she even worth such mercy? After all of this time, she didn't find any comfort in this mess and wanted to go away further. The princess truly cared for Himeko. _"But do I care for her?_" The girl responded.

Himeko left the chamber door, the princess still leaning out of it. In the hallway, she heard the princess' silk voice.

"Himeko..." The girl turned to see the princess leaning outside the partially closed door.

"Yes?"

"I love you."

Himeko nodded, knowing such a thing was true.

"Himeko?"

The golden haired maid, leaned in and kissed the princess, giving her the only answer she could.

Then, she left.


	10. Abuki

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios.

**Abuki**

The night Himeko Kurusugawa lost her virginity was also the night she lost someone special to her. Kazuki Oogami, the father image that had been leading her through her time in the castle, had officially died in her eyes. At first, she tried to deny such a thing, thinking that the priest had been under a lot of stress or angry. But the way he slapped the princess, the way he abused her and called Chikane-hime, "little girl" was unforgivable. Even now, she avoided the priest on the sunlit day, sweeping the castle foyer.

She cried a little, her feelings for the princess still unsettled. "_When she said she loved me, that she truly loved me, why didn't I answer back? I kissed her, that says the same thing, right? I...took her to bed, that shows I love her, right?"_The girl, so confused and so lost in her own mind, couldn't help but think maybe she should just confess and live happily in the castle, abandoning all she left behind. Himeko kept sweeping the carpet when she heard a shrill voice call out.

"Oh, not-hime!" Himeko winced, hearing the horse-beater's voice call out in the distance. As he ran across the foyer, the golden-haired maid sighed, accepting his cry.

"Yes, Abuki-san?" The girl replied in a polite tone.

"Don't call me san, it's annoying." The old man carried all the same traits to when Himeko first noticed him. From the aged stance to the shifting eye to the rags still covered in horse dung, Himeko wondered if the horse-beater had changed clothes at all. "Do you know why I'm happy?" The man grinned his toothless grin. Himeko shuddered, thinking of an honest answer.

"Um...because the rebels haven't attacked for a while?"

"What?" Abuki replied with his eyebrow raised, "No, don't talk like the village idiot! That's terrible news. The reason I'm so happy is that..." Immediately, the horse-beater searched his pouch for something specific, "Wait a moment, no that's not it. Here we go! Read this!"

Himeko leaned forward to read the official parchment, when Abuki snapped it from her. "Oh, it'll take to long too read anyway. One of the Elders has given me permission to brand Sungest!" The man let out a flying cackle, squeals echoing through the castle.

"Um..." The maid looked with amethyst eyes. "What's...branding?"

Instead of screaming or yelling at Himeko as he would have normally done, he grinned and put his dung covered sleeve around Himeko's neck, leading her towards the door. "You see, when a horse can't be broken the normal way, you have to brand them. First, you take a symbol, embedded in metal, attached to a long end. Then you heat the symbol end, until the metal glows. Not red, that's too cool. Blue's okay, but the perfect color is white hot. Then, you take the symbol end, stick it on the horse and-Tschh!" The old beater began to spray saliva with his mouth, creating the sound of searing flesh.

"Oh, it's the most beautiful sound in the world. And you're going to help me!"

Himeko gasped at the thought of doing such a thing, torturing poor Sungest. "B-but why me?"

The horse-beater looked back at the girl with his crazed eye, shifting in all directions. "Because, I know _you_ of all people won't snitch to the princess behind my back. You're obedient that way, aren't you?

Himeko, not having much choice in the matter, was dragged out to the stables.

* * *

The thing that unsettled Himeko the most wasn't the stench of horse manure nor was it the sun's glare in her amethyst eyes nor was it Abuki, as decrepit and old as he was. The thing that caused Himeko to naturally shudder in fear was the fact that Sungest, the princess' personal black horse, would be put to such torture. "_I don't want to do this."_Himeko thought, looking at Abuki, his eye shifting._"Not to Sungest, who took me and Chikane-chan on such a ride. It...wouldn't be the same._" She stared as the old man made his way to the stables. Himeko's only hope was to convince the horse-beater otherwise.

"Ah...Abuki-san?" She asked in her timid voice.

He whipped around, both his eyes concentrated on her. "How many times have I told you not to call me 'san'?"

"Ah...Gomenasai. It's just that...maybe Sungest doesn't need to be broken. Maybe she's fine the way she is."

The horse-beater not only scoffed but gave a shrill laugh as he did so. "Not have to be broken-Ha ha. That's a good one. Hehehe-" Abuki would have relished the moment if not for the hacking cough, spraying saliva over Himeko.

"Now you listen to me, not-hime. The only good horse is a broken horse. If we were as dumb as you, no offense, we would have horses running around and they'd be trampling over us and stepping over us and we'd be shoveling their horse dung all the time."

Himeko gave a somewhat confused look, unsure what Abuki meant. "_But I thought he shoveled horse dung all the time."_

"The fact is that if we let these horses one ounce of freedom, they'd turn against us. Look at the princess. She lets her people do what they want without properly breaking them. And now look what's happened. All of a sudden, the whole kingdom's turned against us. You know, I could run a kingdom if I had the chance."

The golden-haired maid looked skeptical, unsure how to respond.

"What, you don't believe me?" The horse-beater sneered, opening the pen to the stables. "Raising horses and running a kingdom are basically the same thing."

"They are?" Himeko asked.

"Sure they are! You basically break the people, preferably by riding on them until they beg you to stop. You let them run around the range for a while, and feed them a barrel full of oats each day. Then the kingdom runs itself. Honestly, it's not that hard."

"But why do you have to break them? Maybe, you should trust them instead."

Abuki stared at the blond maid, his crazed eye looking of far somewhere. "This isn't about trust. It's about power! What's good power if I don't constantly remind these horses that I have it?"

Himeko gasped. She listened to Abuki's words, as if they were a familiar sound from a distant past. "_Baka, what's good power if you don't constantly remind people you have it?_" The golden-haired girl 

realized the phrase came from El Rey, the Spaniard king. _"Is that how the world works? If you don't break people or horses, you'll get trampled over? Is it true that the only way people will respect you is if you make them obedient to you?_" Himeko shook her head furiously. _"No, that's not true! If that were true, how could I respect Chikane-chan the way I do now?_"

Himeko held her head in confusion as she and Abuki finally arrived at the stables. The old man gave a toothless grin at the personal steed of the princess.

"Oh, Sungest! Guess what day it is today!"

She watched the scene play out in front of her. Abuki, smiled and mocked Sungest as he circled around the ever-still horse.

"That's right! We're going to brand you today! And once we brand you, the next step is breaking you. Oh, I'm so glad you're here to see this, first hand!" The man cackled. Slowly, he took an iron brander, just as he described in his speech. As he heated the symbolic end in the coals, he turned to the golden-haired maid.

"Now, not-hime..."

"Actually, it's Himeko."

"Not-hime, you're going to hold Sungest by the reins while _I _have the undisputed pleasure of breaking a royal horse. All you have to do is make sure she doesn't break out and hit me with that kick of hers. Oh, I can't wait to see what happens!" He snickered, waiting as the coals heated the other side of the iron symbol. During this time, Himeko looked into Sungest's eyes. Though she looked strong, the horse seemed skittish and tended to move a little with her hooves. _"She's afraid. She's trying to be brave, but she's still scared._"

"It's ready!" Abuki cackled as he removed the symbol from the furnace. Himeko watched as it glistened, shining white hot in the end. As the horse-beater neared Sungest, Himeko saw the horse's nervousness increase. Her hooves moved constantly, her thick neck tried to avoid the symbol as it passed her body, and as in neared the back of her, she tried to kick it several times. All the while, Himeko held the reins. She watched as the horse-beater taunted Sungest by faking pressing the brand on her, or feinting pushing the iron symbol. Himeko stared at Sungest's eyes and saw the fear in the horse. _"I know what I have to do._"

"Gomenasai!" Himeko yelled releasing the reins. Chaos broke loose, as did Sungest. She gave a loud neigh as she turned and shook the horse-beater's presence off. Abuki, in his fear, released the iron symbol, landing somewhere in a horse's water trough. Then, as Abuki was about to leap from the stables, Sungest kicked the horse beater right in the face.

Himeko was unsure whether to take Abuki to the infirmary ward, or just leave him there.

* * *

The good news was, as the doctor diagnosed, that Abuki didn't lose any more teeth. "Apparently, being kicked so many times in the face has caused an immunity of sorts in his physical bone structure." The bad news was that nothing could be done to save his nose, flattened by the impact.

"Gomenasai..." While the doctor did all he could to save Abuki, the girl constantly apologized for her actions. The horse-beater, however, did not seem to respond kindly to these remarks, if he responded at all.

Suddenly, the door burst open to reveal an emerald-haired priest, out of breath.

"Is she alright?" He panted, clutching his leg and huffing frantically. Himeko stood in fear of Kazuki Oogami, his hair slightly mussed under his oblong hat.

"Oh, ha ha!" Abuki replied in a snide fashion. "Go ahead and mock my manhood, why don't you? It's not like I lost enough today."

The priest shook his head, his eyes still gazed at the horse keeper.

"I wasn't talking about you! I was talking about-Oh, Himeko! There you are." The blond haired girl nodded, not wanting to say anymore to the strange man.

Kazuki sighed a huge breath of relief. "When I heard that you were in the hospital, I thought...well, it doesn't matter, because you're safe."

Himeko stared at the priest for the longest time. "_What kind of person is he?_" Himeko thought as she stared at the emerald-haired priest. At one moment, he was telling Himeko his life story, which brought Himeko to tears. At another time, he literally defended her with his honor when she was accused. Then, came last night when he slapped the princess and scolded her. It was if he were two different men: a soft faced father figure and a contorted madman whose only purpose was to ensure the safety of the kingdom. Himeko's head shook as if she woke up from a nightmare. "_Who are you, Oogami-sensei?_"

"Can I go now?" The horse-beater shrilled while holding his flap of skin for a nose. "Or do I have to endure this insufferable girl once more?"

"Gomenasai," Himeko started, feeling every ounce of pain for Abuki, "for letting go of the reins."

"Shut it." The horse-beater said, not amused.

"Gomenasai for your nose."

"I said, 'shut it." Abuki's voice became more shrill and high-pitched. His anger began to seep through in his voice as he held whatever held on his face. He gritted whatever remaining teeth as he endured more of the girl's apologies. Just as the horse-breaker thought he had reached his breaking point, Himeko started again.

"Gomenasai for-"

"Is 'Gomenasai' all you can say?" His screech reached the heavens as he bent down and grabbed the golden-haired maid by the collar.

"_Gomenasai, Gomenasai!_" Abuki mocked using his impersonation of a squeaky voice. Himeko felt embarrassed from his interpretation of her. "Tell me, girl. Is that how people taught you to speak or do you just do anything you want and instantly regret them? Have you done anything you _haven't _regretted?"

"You leave her alone!" The priest stepped in, angered of what sort of insult Himeko had to go through. As he was about to give his utter dismissal of the horse-beater, the old man beat him to it.

"And _you_, Kazuki! Why are you so obsessed with defending this girl? She's no princess and yet you treat her better than anyone I know. Why is that?"

For a moment, Kazuki paused unsure what to say. What Himeko used to admire, she now feared. Kazuki held himself in a moment of thought, thinking ever carefully about the situation. Himeko 

thought it possible that Kazuki fabricated lies or thought of ways of manipulating people. For once, Himeko now feared the priest that was in the middle of defending her honor.

"Because...she reminds me of a person I once knew."

The old man gave an insulting sneer. "_Is that so?_ Well, good for you! As for me, I'm going to drown my pain at the pub."

Just as he was leaving the infirmary, he turned and gazed at both Himeko and Kazuki. "And don't worry, I'll be back for Sungest."

* * *

For the most part the pub was poorly lit, smelled foul of rotten meat and covered in either vomit, blood or spilled lager, depending which day it was. In short, it was the perfect atmosphere to loose oneself in when undergoing severe depression. And the perfect place to find potential candidates for joining the rebellion. Everyone whispered and gossiped when the two figures appeared in the doorway. Though they had cloaks covering them, it was fairly easy to tell who they were. After all, a head full of moss green hair and purple locks weren't easy to hide.

Miyako and Girochi stood side by side, gazing slowly through the crowd. The usual people sat in on the lonely night: the drunkards, the idiots and the depressed. "_Tonight's pickings are very generous._" Miyako thought as she passed through the crowd. Girochi, decided to yell out, being less than conspicuous, "Oi! Does anyone want to join-" He was only silenced by his sister, holding a small hand on his orgeish mouth. She gave a subtle 'shh' and pointed to the counter, a simple man in blue rags ordering a drink.

They leaned in closely, listening in on the conversation.

"Barkeep, what kind of drinks do you have tonight?" The old man, or possibly just gray, asked.

"Well, we have the usual pint, some fresh wine from the vineyards and...some horse blood!" He snickered. The on goers must have caught on to this because it wasn't long before the entire pub was filled with laughter, mocking the man.

"Oh, ha ha! Very funny, horse blood. Just give me a pint and be done with it!" He shrilled. As the bartender gave him a bubbly pint, the old man grabbed it and went to a lone table with no one sitting near it. He sipped his drink a little before another person came by and made a rather snide comment.

"Hey, stable-keeper. You hungry? Cause I heard some horses got out and are running through the forest. You can catch them if you hurry!" The pub filled with laughter again as the old man just shrugged and continued with his drink. Both Girochi and Miyako looked at each other and smiled. Here was just the person they needed to find. They walked slowly, inching their way to the lone table, meeting the man face-to-face. The man sneered.

"Aren't you that nun who went off to join the rebels?" He asked coldly.

"And I suppose you aren't that man who ate the horse?" Miyako responded without a moment's passing.

"That's very shrewd of you." He said, his crazy eye darting in all sorts of directions. Girochi, hearing the man's response, would have scolded his sister on being too hard and being too rash of her, until the horse-keeper spoke up again.

"I like you. Come, have a seat, buy a drink!" He offered, as he sipped from his wooden cup once more. Once both Miyako and Girochi had settled into their stools, they watched as the old man leaned back and stared at them.

"Who's your pet?" He asked Miyako with a toothless grin.

"We...didn't bring any pets." Girochi asked in his confusion. It took a moment, during which Miyako and the horse-keeper sat in silence, gazing around the pub before Girochi understood the implications of what the old man meant.

"Oi! Are you talking about me?" Girochi got up and banged his fists on the table.

"_Real_ smart one, you got there. So what can I do for you? I know this because I know you didn't come here just to talk horse crap with me."

"Your bluntness may not always achieve what you wanted." She asked, while making slight rubs on the old man's calloused hands.

"Works for me. Now, are you going to offer me to join you or are you going to keep rubbing my hand? That annoys the hell out of me."

"Since you know the question, why not take the time and answer it?" She asked politely. Miyako smiled, being a master of wordplay.

"The answer is no. And before you ask, it's because I have everything a man could want. I've got a job that I love. I got a house which I go to everyday and sleep and piss in and I work for her highness. You can't offer me anything better than this." The man sneered, as if he had won the battle outright and bested his opponent.

"Yes, you have everything, except for respect."

The old man, about to take another swig of his drink, put it down and stared at the woman suspiciously. He sniffed a little, forgetting his flap of a nose.

"Face it. Within this kingdom, no one respects you, not even yourself. And why do you think that?" She asked, gazing at the old man.

"I assume it has something to do among the lines of 'horse-eater, horse-eater'." He said in a sad laugh.

"No. It's because you've gotten soft."

The stable-keeper got up and stared at the woman with both eyes concentrated on her. "I am not soft!"

"Oh? The last time I checked, you've yet to break the one called Sungest."

"That's different!" He said. Miyako could see how the old man broke down in front of her. She smiled, always enjoying attacking one's honor and reputation to get them to do something.

"Face it, you've gotten soft with these royalists and have gained little respect. Now if you were with us, you'd certainly be the man you once were."

The old man, slowly got up from his seat. He gazed at the woman with pure hatred in his eyes and his face became even more deformed than what it once was. Without a smirk or a grin on his face, he was shown as he was: anger in its purest form. And without any mocking humor or sarcasm to dilute such a madness, he was left a bitter man. Miyako's thin lips curved. She had won the battle and leaned back. All was left was him joining.

"I'll show you!" He said, storming out of the pub. Girochi, less than satisfied and completely unaware of the situation, went and scolded Miyako.

"Well great job, sis. Now what are we going to tell Tsubasa when we get back?"

"Don't you see the similarities my dear brother?" Girochi looked in confusion. Miyako sighed and looked at the hulking mountain that was her brother_. "Poor thing always needs things explained to him, doesn't he_?"

"It's simple. Men like Tsubasa and the stable-keeper have to either break their horses..." She said getting up and leaving the pub.

"Or kill them."

* * *

For once, Chikane-hime slept alone and felt alone. She couldn't get the images of the golden-haired beauty dancing in her mind and wanted to hold her and embrace her for all eternity. She was perfect in every way: innocent, kind, loving and never deceitful. But then...she never said that she loved the princess did she? Chikane-hime tossed and turned until she could sleep no more. She woke up and rubbed her eyes, gazing at the moonlight. At times, she understood its pain, lonely, saddened, only to shine during times of darkness and dimming. She could never shine without her sun. She could never shine without Himeko.

During her gazing, she came across a distracting noise. She turned and gazed to see where the source of said noise had come from. She stared down, concentrating her look on something running. It was so dark it was impossible to spot. _"A person? No, it looks like a...horse?_" She gasped realizing what it was. _"Sungest!_" And as the moon lit the ground before her, she slowly realized what that thing was, riding on Sungest in the middle of the dead night.

Hurrying, she swung the door open and brought two guards with her. She and the rest of the men ran outside the castle. As she sprinted in her white gown, the cold night air biting at her skin as if it were winter snow. Then as she finally met with the figure, she ran and stared down at the old man thrown off the horse.

"Abuki-san!" She screamed, her voice cracking up at the very sight of him. The princess went and hugged her steed tenderly. She sighed and looked at the old man, being tackled by both guards.

"No. No! I need more time! I must break her! I need to break her!"

"I'll deal with your punishment in the morning, Abuki-san. For now, leave! Leave or be chained to this stable forever!"

The horse keeper left, his figure fading in the distance. The princess comforted her horse, hugging it tenderly. She didn't want anything to happen to Sungest. _"I want you to be there when I make Himeko my queen._"

* * *

Miyako and Girochi had waited until the dead of night, to the point where the pub had become empty. They had to buy drinks in order to avoid being thrown out. Girochi, obviously forgetting the mission, drank to the point of stupor and passed out. Miyako was pleased, seeing the stable-keeper enter through the door with a look of failure upon his face.

"Noon." He said, bluntly, "Tomorrow. At the large hill above the stables. Bring your flaming arrows and burn it down."

"You don't even know what we're planning." She said with a look of satisfaction.

"I don't care. Burn it and be done with it. I'll take care of the rest."

Miyako smiled. _"Everything is going according to plan."_

* * *

Himeko Kurusugawa felt alone and ashamed of what had happened the night before. She felt so confused and so lost at the same time. Her heart was torn between two places, her feelings, unsure and unclear, about the princess and her safety of her friends. Himeko, felt dizzy, not from the sun's rays or the fresh air entering her lungs, but rather the confusion from all that had happened to her. And for once, she could talk to no one about it, not even Kazuki Oogami.

_"I hate this!_" Himeko cried within the confides of her mind. _"I want to stop feeling confused and scared and hurt all at the same time. I want...I want to make a decision!_" But each time her heart for the princess argued for one point, her heart for her friends counteracted with an equally strong point. _"Oogami-kun and Mako-chan have always been there for me. They've stood by my side and protected me when they needed to. But Chikane-chan's so sweet and kind. It's wrong to love her but maybe that's why I fell in love with her in the first place. Maybe, being around her has opened my eyes_."

Himeko then opened her eyes and rushed to the stables. She passed the horse-keeper, cutting hay with his scythe and sat on the hay. At least there was one soul who she could talk with.

"Good morning, Sungest-san!" She smiled. The horse, munching on hay, gazed at the girl as if she noticed Himeko's presence. At first the girl didn't know how to begin or even if she should tell her everything. However, as time passed, Himeko became comfortable and told the horse everything, aware that no one was listening.

For once, Himeko felt relieved. She let out all of her fears and her worries get out as she spoke with the horse. She told Sungest everything: how she felt her heart beat around the princess, how she ran from Makoto during the day, how the princess' warm kisses comforted her and how Kazuki betrayed her feelings. She siged and looked at the horse.

"So...what do you think I should do, Sungest-san?" The horse, moved her head around and licked her tongue on a trovel of water. Himeko sighed, not exactly receiving the answer she was looking for.

"I've been talking to horses all my life." Abuki cried out, showing up behind Himeko. She nearly fainted at the sight of his short scythe, small enough to carry in his hand, but sharp enough to cut a person's head off.

"And I can tell you they're as dumb as spit. They don't know what you're talking about. Might as well talk to the trees."

Himeko shook her head, and gave a soft smile. "I don't think so. Even though Sungest-san can't talk, she can understand me a little bit. See how she pays attention when I speak?" She motioned to the 

horse, gazing at the golden-haired girl. "I think part of her understands how I feel. You can't get that when talking to trees, Abuki-san. And best of all, they can keep your secrets and tell no one."

Himeko smiled at the old man, who responded by spitting off to the side. She felt a little discouraged by this, but thought positively. _"Well, if he won't listen to me, then I just talk with Sungest some more._"

Suddenly, the horse-keeper gazed high above the sky. Himeko, during all her shared secrets, had lost track of time, to the point where it had become midday. Abuki stared around, as if looking for something, before walking to Himeko. She saw the old man and rose up, in respect of him.

"I gotta take a piss. Care to join?" The old man asked in his snide smile. Himeko shook her head furiously. She certainly didn't want to see the habits of an older man.

"Then leave. Last thing I want is a smelly maid hanging around my horses."

Himeko, still unsure inside her heart, looked at the old man. She didn't want to leave, not until she had received an answer from Sungest. She looked back at the stables and looked at the old man, his patience waning. "I want to talk to Sungest a bit more. Is that okay, Abuki-san?"

The old man shrugged and left. Himeko turned to face Sungest once more.

"Well, I admire your owner. Not Abuki-san! But the princess. Chikane-chan's so sweet and kind. And, strange as it sounds, I want the rebels to fail so I can live with Chikane-chan forever. But my friends, Mako-chan and Oogami-kun aren't going to change. Sungest, what should I do?" As she stared into Sungest's gentle eyes, not once breaking contact, she smelled something odd. It wasn't as foul as horse manure, but a different kind of unpleasant. She looked around, holding her nose.

"Sungest-san, is something...burning?"

Himeko gazed around only to see small flaming arrows, being shot out from a distance. She looked in horror, knowing the rebels had made their move. Before she could run out to the fields and wave for them to stop their attack, the flames had already caught on the hay, engulfing the stable into flames. She _watched_in fear as the horses neighed and broke through the gate, breaking supports and gates along the way. It took a moment for Himeko's mind to register that _she_ had to escape too.

Before she could even reach the end to where all the horses had gone, she looked above, seeing the main support of the roof, bursting with flames, fall towards her. She braced her head. The heat began to deafen her senses and made her cough and hack. She expected to feel the full impact of the fire to fall and her and kill her in an instant. However, her eyes opened. She felt no flames on her. Himeko looked up and gasped at what she saw. Her eyes welled with pain.

Sungest, in all of black beauty, held the flaming pillar with her back. Himeko would have taken it off, but the horse seemed to gesture Himeko to escape. The girl ran, felt the rush of the cold outside air before hearing sounds of wood collapsing. She looked back to see all the exits had been cut off. A wall of flames had cut Himeko off with Sungest.

"Sungest-san!" She cried out. Himeko looked, her eyes stinging from the black smoke and embers that the fire had spread to the entire field, blocking any way around to reach the horse. Still, she had to try. If she couldn't go through the burning flames, she would go around the castle.

* * *

Sungest escaped through the other end in the nick of time. The steady horse breathed heavily, feeling the burns on her back and leg. Sungest didn't regret taking the pillar to her back. She had to protect 

the princess' mate. Mates should be protected, no matter what the cost. Suddenly, a cold figure came around, carrying a shining peace of metal.

It was none other than the devil himself, his face lit with orange and a sickening smile on his face. Sungest hated him. She hated him almost as much as the princess did.

"You know..." The devil said, his voice screeching in Sungest's ears. "I've been thinking about this a _real_ long time."

Sungest, despite all of her strength, could not run. The burning pain the ran on her skin had weakened her significantly.

"When the nun and the idiot came to me, I saw opportunity. I don't know which opportunity struck me the most. Maybe, just _maybe_God had given me the chance to redeem myself, to right the wrongs I have done. Maybe, this is my chance at a normal life. Hmm. What a bunch of horse crap."

The devil's crazed eye shifted in several directions, gazing at the flames, the trees and at Sungest herself.

"All I wanted to do was break you. This wouldn't have happened if you just let me break you! Now look at you. Pathetic. You're so weak that I wouldn't even want to break if I wanted to. I've got something else in mind."

He pulled out the shining piece of metal and ran it across his finger, bleeding black blood.

"Then...there was the part of me that said, 'Accept it. Accept the fact that you are nothing but a dirty horse-eater and make it easier on yourself.' You know, I kept thinking to myself, maybe that's the truth. I can't change society, but I can certainly change myself. Maybe, it would just be easier for everyone if I was just the horse-eater."

Sungest realized what the piece of metal was. It was the devil's tool for cutting the oats she fed on. She neighed in fear, trying to escape and failing.j

"You know, I was hoping the fires would cook you a little. But I guess I'm going to have to enjoy you..."

The devil's voice pierced the heavens. "Raw."

* * *

Himeko nearly passed out from her sprint through the castle. During her frantic run, she passed several guards running to the source of the fire. "_The guards must be distracted by the fire to keep an eye on everything. If they're too distracted on putting it out, then there's no one looking after Sungest-san. I have to hurry!_" Himeko rushed over as soon as she could, only to stop at the smell of something awful.

This smell came off as sort of sickening, as if something rotten had spoiled. It stunk worse than the smell of stinging horse manure or black smoke. She rushed over as soon as she could only to come across a horrible sight.

Horse blood stained the grass. Everywhere, its black presence has made the grass wet. She stared at the trail of blood, as if it had run a great distance and heard an odd noise, as if something clicked. It wasn't a ringing noise, or a burning noise but a clicking noise. She turned the corner and gasped at what she had saw.

Sungest, bleeding profusely, was lying on her back. She was missing several pieces of her muscles, carved crudely with the nearby scythe. She watched the person sit on top of the body, munching on something hard on his teeth. Abuki was munching on Sungest's hoof, cut from the leg, and his teeth made a clicking noise that prompted Himeko. The golden-haired maid watched as the nearby fire had lit it with an orange, hellish glow. She collapsed on her knees and sobbed.

"Sungest-san!" Himeko cried. Nobody heard her, just as nobody heard the horse's neighs.


	11. Insanity

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios. Any and all cameos are copyrighted to Tite Kubo.

(**A/N**: Dedicated to CrazyNinjaPenguin for the fast updates and Heath Ledger's Joker. Because he **nailed** that role.)

**Insanity**

The princess survived. There was not a scratch, bruise or even a sweat drop on her. In fact, all of the kingdom, except those who finally doused the inferno of the stables, came out unscathed. Normally, people would have questioned this. They would have asked questions concerning why the rebels attacked half-way, and not go after the queen. That would be unless a great controversy filled the air, and soon every person in the kingdom attended the trial of the century.

Mizu Abuki was being charged for treason, conspiracy and murder of a member of the royal family.

The normally still Room of Judgment was flooded with people. As best as the guards did to keep the people from coming, blocking and shoving masses of people, people still rushed forth. A handful of children managed to sneak past the guards and look high above from the balcony. The dukes who were permitted to the trial sat comfortably in the wooden benches, cut smoothly and comfortably. It was common for the high class to get the best seats in the house, after all.

The Room of Judgment wasn't designed to be complex. Despite a long and wide hallway for the audience to watch, there was a dome-shaped room in the middle. In that dome, slots of seating were made, its height according to how much power each person had. Most of the Elders, save Kazuki Oogami, generally sat higher due to their age. Kazuki Oogami was only below the princess, and no one else. Then, the crowd created a commotion of gossip and whispers as down the aisle, the defendant was marched down, a troop of guards surrounding each corner of him.

Normally, the defendant would have been washed, dressed and made to wear a set of clean clothes to the trial. However, the princess demanded that the trial take place as soon as possible. Chikane-hime, however, shuddered at the sight of the man. People thought she would leave immediately seeing the defendant covered in horse blood, twitching and licking each part of his body.

The man was pushed forward by the guards, and brought before the Elders and the princess.

"Mizu Abuki, how do you plead?"

"Full!" The audience groaned with disgust, hearing such a praise. Some individuals, more bolder than the usual mold, had burst out in laughter. Chikane-hime, however, was not moved by this. She merely looked at the horse-breaker with contempt in her eyes. The defendant, obviously caught up in his moment of fame, couldn't care less.

"Mizu Abuki," Kazuki Oogami stated in his bold voice, "You are hereby sentenced to life in the dungeons. You will be under constant watch and will not be allowed to move freely. You finally get your wish. I hope you're happy."

The defendant snickered and licked a trail of blood on his wrist. "You bet I'm happy! With the rebels getting closer and Pantera at our doorsteps, the dungeons are the safest place for me to be!"

"Do you have any regrets?"

Then something different happened. The horse-beater stood absolutely still at these words. The audience leaned in, possibly seeing an epiphany in the works. The Room of Judgment became silent, the air stilled and not a soul breathed. The defendant, looked up to where Kazuki was standing and gazed into his brown eyes. "Regrets?"

"Yes, defendant, do you have any regrets?"

He spoke honestly and earnestly, "The only thing I regret..."

This was it. Finally the people of Mahoroba would hear what entered into the mind of Mizu Abuki, and finally understand what he truly was.

"Is not having a glass of wine when I ate her! Hahaha!" The audience groaned with illness once more. Several of the dukes excused themselves so they could leave and depart at once. The princess' mouth shook a little at the thought of this. Her eyes did not quiver but she bit her lower lip, inciting blood to drop.

"Oh, and princess..." The azure-haired girl looked at the old man with as much patience as she could afford.

"About the remains, should I bury my droppings or will a nice funeral pyre do?" Finally, the princess lost her patience and pointed towards the door, gesturing the guards to drag the defendant to the dungeons. The crowd watched as the horse-beater had become what he had done all along. And he looked genuinely happy about it, if a bit touched in the head. However, the horse-beater's last words would forever haunt them.

As the defendant was dragged away, sealed to his fates to the lower dungeons, he cackled and sang a familiar tune.

"_Horse-eater, Horse eater_

_Abuki, Horse eater_

_If you have a horse,_

_Then let Abuki have a taste of her."_

* * *

Himeko didn't want Chikane-hime to be alone, not after all that had happened. Her amethyst eyes began to tear when she wasn't allowed into the princess' chambers. The golden-haired maid knocked on the door once more. She wouldn't let the princess be alone in her sadness.

The door creaked open to reveal the princess, quiet and beautiful as ever. Chikane-hime gave a small smile at the sight of the girl. But there was a sort of look on her face. Thin lines collected under her eyes as she seemed silent as ever. Himeko paused, looking at the princess as before. _"Why won't she talk to me?_" Himeko thought. _"Did I do something wrong?"_It took a few brief moments of silence before Himeko could muster up the courage to speak.

"Chikane-chan, is everything...alright?"

The princess, still smiling, gave a small laugh, "Of course it is, Himeko. It's just...I need a few days to myself."

The maid felt slightly disappointed at the sound of this. "Can I come in? Maybe you'll feel better."

Miya-sama shook her head. "No thank you, I'll be fine." The princess locked the door, shutting Himeko out. As she gave a small sigh, she thought of the rebel's attack on the stables. _"Why...why would Tsubasa do such a thing to Sungest? It should have been me, not Sungest-san. If I didn't talk to Sungest during the attack, then she would still be..._" Himeko gritted her teeth, realizing what she had done. _"It's because I felt so scared and I didn't know what to do. I killed Sungest. I killed her because I was afraid to choose._" Just as Himeko was about to wallow away in her sadness, a emerald-haired priest came from the distance.

"Kurusuagawa-san, are you well?" Kazuki asked, wearing his oblong hat.

"Yes, I'll be fine." Himeko looked down the stairs, thinking of possible chores that Otoha needed done. "If you'll excuse me, I really should get going." As the golden-haired girl quickly walked down the stairs, the priest's baritone voice cried out.

"You heard me that night, when I yelled at Chikane-hime, correct?"

Himeko stopped in her tracks. Normally, she would have continued down the stairs. But something about Kazuki's voice made her turn around and face him.

"You're right to be upset with me. What I did was wrong. But now, the princess needs us more than ever. Can I count on you, Himeko, to keep her safe when things go awry?"

Himeko nodded.

"Thank you. I'll be holding a service for Sungest in a little while. I would appreciate it if you would come."

Himeko would've responded, if not for the helmeted captain and his three men following suit. "Kazuki-sensei! My men and I just completed the itinerary for the supplies."

Kazuki looked at the guards with sharp eyes, darkened by the subject. "What have you learned?"

"It's just as I feared. The stable fire was just a distraction. They're real goal was for the food supplies. They stole a month's worth of food. Lucky my men were there or they might have taken more."

"A month's supply is an acceptable loss. Things will be tough for a while, but we can manage."

Even though Himeko never saw the captain's face, she knew that his concerned speech wasn't over. "Another thing. Strangest of all, we reported a keg of cannon powder gone missing."

"Cannon powder? The rebels don't have cannons."

"Even if they did, they only stole a keg. That's good for, what, two shots? Maybe three if they're conservative."

The people stood in confusion, wondering what the rebel leader was planning.

* * *

The camp huddled around gazing at the new invention the rebel leader had made. After a successful attack on the stables, the rebels huddled together from the night cold to the bonfire. They had waited all afternoon to see what this device did, and why they needed something as unwieldy as cannon powder to do it. The rebels looked on its strange shape, not seeing anything like it before.

One man called it a bludgeoning tool of some sort, hence the wooden bottom. Other's claimed it was a device to breathe from, therefore explaining the elongated metal hole that the wooden bottom attacked to. The strangest thing of all was the notch at the bottom. They were constantly told to pull it and a mechanism would light a small flame on top. Whatever theory the rebels had, only Tsubasa knew the truth. Only Tsubasa knew the true purpose of the weapon.

"Now, gently pour the cannon powder into the slot." The rebel leader ordered. The man did so, pouring the black powder into the slot. He was confused why he was doing this and why the rebel leader ordered him to put an iron ore into the enlongated hole.

"Finally, pull the notch and watch our victory at hand." The man did so. At first it seemed like nothing happened and the project was a complete failure. Just before a lone man would've have accused Tsubasa of being a traitor, the notch lifted the match, lighting the fuse. Then, as the fuse traveled to the inside of the hole and fire burst out of the other hole, wounding a man in the process. The people stood in shock on what had happened. Cries of fear and panic filled the sky. The man who carried the gun dropped it immediately.

"The Devil!" He cried. "It's the Devil's work at hand. It's some type of witchcraft!" The people screamed and cried in panic only to be stopped by a deep loud voice, echoing to the forest.

"Enough!" Tsubasa demanded, thereby silencing the group. The people stood still, entranced by the deep voice, the crimson eyes full of determination and his iron resolve.

"This is no witchcraft! This weapon will lead us into victory."

"How? How do you know this, Tsubasa-sama?" A man cried out, unsure how to react.

"Because, God showed me this himself."

The people's whispers became hushed and low, muttering and commenting to themselves. "Is that true? Did Tsubasa-sama speak with God? Is that where he went to when he disappeared for a spell? Why didn't he tell us? Is God really that heartless?"

"Excuse me, Tsubasa-sama." One old lady asked carrying her grandchild, through all the mutterings. "What does God look like?"

The crimson-eyed man stood in silence for a while. Finally, he marched up to the podium and stared at the audience. "God would not reveal his true form to me. He was afraid that people would know of his existence. However, if it's one thing I know, it's that God wants us to defeat the Himemiyas."

The crowd murmured with shock and confusion. "Yes, as merciful as God is, he has shown me that great injustice must be punished and the only way to do such a thing is to be rid of royalists and those in power, so that our freedom takes place."

The crowd started nodding and agreeing in unison. They smiled and cheered, now knowing they had the Lord's blessing.

"My comrades, God has offered us the the gift," He took the weapon and rose it above his head. "...of the rifle!"

* * *

Himeko sat on her stiff bed, miserable at the fact that the princess had shut her out. _"Is this what it feels like?_" She thought as she gazed at the fireplace, growing dimmer with each log. _"Is this what I've been doing to Chikane-chan all along? Not letting her in my heart as she's doing right now?"_ Himeko gave a heavy sigh and turned over, not wanting to be disturbed by anybody or anyone. She sat in her maid's uniform, just realizing how lonely the maid's quarters were. The maid's barely talked or noticed each other, many of the beds were tough or torn or infested with locust. And the only view of the outside was the sill, located high above them, with a faint moonlight showing out.

When the door knocked, Himeko barely sat up, still miserable. When the door opened to reveal the princess, however, Himeko jumped to her feet and wrapped her arms around the gentle warmth of Chikane-hime.

"Chikane-chan-" Before she could utter a word, the princess' slender finger was put on her lips. Himeko couldn't help but feel entranced by its delicate form.

"Himeko, I have to do something very quickly. Please stay here for the remainder of the night."

The golden-haired maid couldn't believe what she heard. She shook her head in protest but the princess was unmoved. "I'm ordering you to stay within these chambers. Understood?" She said with a slight smile. Reluctantly, Himeko nodded, as Miya-sama left without even an embrace.

At first, Himeko thought the task was easy, that she had to do nothing but sit around and read books. She picked up one of the novels, thick with dust, and started reading the material. _"Her guilt was endless. She, of all people, could have saved the one she loved. But instead, she foolishly listened to her lover's advice, letting him go without protest._" Himeko shut the book, stating the all too familiar. She shook her head and gazed at the fireplace, kneeling by its soft heat. It wasn't until she heard Otoha's familiar shrill that she began to worry.

"Hurry up, hurry up!" Himeko listened to Otoha's scolding of another maid. She didn't like it all when Otoha yelled. "We need to cook food as soon as possible. You don't want that Spaniard king to kill us all on a whim, do you?" Himeko gasped. She realized why Chikane-hime had to go alone.

Quickly, but silently, she opened the door to peer around. She closed the door at the sight of the rushing maids, but afterwards, she snuck through the halls. Making her way up the foyer, she glanced at the painting of Sungest, causing a sense of guilt to rack within her. Slowly, she ducked behind corners and hid from passing maids. Finally, she heard the sweet keys of the piano, being played elegantly and beautifully. "_Only Chikane-chan could play like that._" As she snuck to the auditorium, she noticed the door was slightly open and gazed inside.

Her mouth didn't fall open because the auditorium had been rearragned, or that the piano was much closer to her view. Rather, the view of the blue-haired, white-gowned king, staring at the princess that scared her. She watched, the princess' right side in her view as El Rey stared at her, seated right across from her. Two guards closely stood by Chikane-hime, their hands on the hilt of their sword. The same could be said with El Rey's men, sitting lazily by him. There seemed to be a calm in the air, possibly due to the princess' piano playing.

_"That's odd_." Himeko thought as she looked closer at the company of Pantera_. "Each of them have numbers on their bodies_." Himeko gazed at each men, trying to figure our their numbers. The Chinese announcer had the number 11 on his torso. The burly man with red hair had the number 13, and the man in the bandaged mask wore 16. She would have figured out the other numbers if not the cries of the king.

"Oi, will you quit with that crappy noise and answer the question?" The king's baritone voice, became more thuggish and more brute. His anger shone to Himeko, even with her sight limited. "Tell me where's that little blond bitch otherwise I might lose my patience."

The princess slowly lifted her hands off the keys and put them on her lap. She looked at the king and gave a slight smile. "Gomenasai. But I do not know where she is. If you would-"

"No!" The king yelled staring at Chikane-hime with darkened eyes. "You will tell me where that bitch is, or you don't get my help, at all."

The princess raised a single eyebrow. "Oh? I believed that I turned down your offer, El Rey."

The king gazed at her, his face becoming more contorted. "You can't turn me down. You need me. You can't even survive without me. You think you can defeat these freaking peasants when you can't even protect a bunch of horses? Face it, the rebels are coming soon and they're pissed. Now, get that woman here or I might just leave you here to die."

The princess' gentle deep eyes stared into the king's, obviously unmoved by the situation. "She is unimportant to you. She is merely a maid among many of my-"

"You see this?" Himeko gasped seeing the king's deformed left side. His cut cheek, or what remained of it, had been stitched together at the end, near his mouth. But the rest of it, was exposed skin. His bleached molars with his pink gums stuck out and remained the same, whether he smiled or frowned. In this case, it was the latter. "Anybody who cuts me, ain't nobody. You get that bitch here right now, and I'm going to show her what I do to people like her."

Chikane-hime gave a slight frown, showing false curiosity. "People like her, what do you mean?"

The king's eyes burned with rage, it's blue hue becoming darker with each second. "People like you, people like her, people like that old man who I had to take care of when I arrived here. People who look at me with those condescending eyes!"

The princess gave a slight smile and asked, "By whatever do you mean-"

"There they are again! Those eyes, those eyes that think they're so goddamn better than me. What makes you better than me?" The king began to circle around her and gaze at her with hatred. "What have you done? Sit around while people clean your crap? Play the piano while people bow down to you? Just show that damn smile while your parents throw you money? Meanwhile, I slaughtered everyone and anyone in my way to get here. What makes you so goddamn better than me?"

Finally the king gave a heavy sigh, and stared at her. "You know what? There is one other thing I'd like better than that maid. Bow to me."

Himeko closed her eyes, and looked away. She didn't want to see the princess be put through that horrible destructive act, ever again.

"Gomenasai, but my legs are a bit sore. I'd rather not." Himeko stared, seeing Chikane-hime resting at her seat.

"You little-" Just as the blue-haired king would have rushed to her, the guards drew out their swords.

"That's as far as you go!" The captain shouted, muffled by his helmet. Just as the guards faced their swords, El Rey's entourage, drew out their kantanas, eager for a fight.

"Captain," The princess spoke silently, "While I appreciate your concern, this is a conversation between El Rey and I. Please, step back and let us finish our conversation."

"But, Chikane-hime!" The captain said, his words being stolen from him.

"Captain, this is my will. Do you oppose it?" After the princess' speech, the captain sighed and sheathed his sword. "Then please, do not interrupt us again." The other guards and El Rey's men, followed suit.

"El Rey, as I said before, my legs are very stiff and I would prefer not to bow down this day." The princess spoke politely, only to encourage the king's wrath.

"Don't you get it? I could come down here with my army and take you over, right now!"

The princess gave a slight giggle, "If so, then why did you leave them at home?" The king fumbled his words, trying to explain. Miya-sama grinned pleasantly, looking at the unfortunate El Rey. "I suspect you need me more than I need you."

El Rey drew his katana and swung it short of Chikane-hime's thin neck. Himeko gasped, not wanting the princess to be harmed for something Himeko did.

"I could kill you, you know? I can just kill you right now, and I wouldn't give a damn."

For some reason, for some odd strange reason, the princess laughed. She giggled pleasantly in the presence of the king, the king's men, the captain and, unknowingly, Himeko. She sat firmly on her piano seat, as she glistened beautifully under the candel's light. It was almost as if, she were the moon, shining brilliantly when things were dark. _"Chikane-chan_" Himeko spoke.

"Kill me, so that I may look down on you from Heaven."

The audience was dumbfounded. The captain's let their guard down, reeling from the shock. The king's entourage started shaking their head slowly, thinking of what the princess had just said. Himeko didn't know whether to smile or shudder in fear. But most significant of all was El Rey's reaction. It was the face of complete shock, as if somebody had taken his testicles and cut them in front of him. His light blue eyes were wide open as his jaw seemed to slack a little while his mouth remained closed. For a few of the longest seconds, everybody stood still. Finally, the king's face contorted once more as he raised his katana, cluctched in his hand.

"Bitch!"

Himeko shut her eyes, relieved only to hear a smacking of the flesh, and not a slash. She opened her eyes to see the princess on the ground, and the king's fist covered in fresh blood. El Rey sheilded his sword and gripped the princess' long blue locks through his knuckles. He grabbed her firmly by the hair and dragged her, the princess not making a sound.

Himeko would have run. She would have rushed in and protected the princess with all of her might. But when she rose up, she was gripped hard, an arm covering her mouth, seeing the head maid prevent her from moving.

Himeko cried in pain, seeing what had happened. The king, his patience waning, began to slam the princess face into the side of the piano, it's black edge denting with each blow. Himeko struggled uselessly against Otoha's hold, trying to escape. When she tried to protest with a muffled breath, Otoha hushed with with a whisper.

"Don't you understand, you stupid girl?" Himeko fell silent to this. "She's doing this for you. She's trying to redeem herself in front of her eyes. This is the...only...way she can...can." Himeko turned back. She stood in shock seeing Otoha's face, becoming pained and fearful. Fresh tears ran down the head maid's face as her mouth quivered. Himeko then realized why Otoha was so loyal and commited to the princess. Slowly, Himeko stopped struggling.

She watched with Otoha as the king began to bang Chikane-hime's face against the keys of the piano, creating a chaotic mixture of sounds each time her face was pushed and slid against it. El Rey's anger did not stop there, now holding the princess by her hair and delivering hard jabs to the stomach. Each time he delivered one of his punches, the princess' smile grew even brighter and stood forever firm. The Spaniard king became irritated and threw the princess on the ground. There, he placed his legs between the princess' torso and began to work both his fists into the princess' face. Each time, however, the princess continued to smile.

"What's so goddamn funny? Those eyes. I hate those eyes!" His hand began to rush to grip at the princess when he was stopped by a single voice.

"El Rey." One of his entourage, the Chinese man, said in a cold, uncaring fashion.

"Shut it, Shawlong! I need this!" But the Chinese man would not be silent.

"If you lay another hand on her, she will die." The king's hand stood still, unsure how to react. Finally, it rushed forward, trying to claw the eye out, only to be stopped one more time.

"And if you kill her, who will win?" El Rey looked up, staring into the wall with his cold fashion. He lifted himself off the princess and cracked his neck.

"I'm raising an army, that makes your whole kingdom look like crap. If you want my help, you will come see me personally and beg. You will beg before my feet and think of me as your better. And when that happens, I _might_ give you my army." The king stood up and left for the door.

Himeko, staying hidden from Otoha, knew who's fault all of ths was. _"If I didn't talk to Sungest, if I didn't cut that man's face, then Chikane-chan wouldn't have suffered so much. Next time, Chikane-chan..._"

Himeko thought to herself with a determined look. _"I'll tell you everything._"


	12. Confession

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios.

**Confession**

"This is outrageous!" The villager spoke in protest. Kazuki Oogami, in his hurry to create a service for Sungest, did not realize the consequences of such actions. Mainly, villagers catching word that a funeral service for a _horse_was upsetting them greatly. "You think you can get away with this, Kazuki? How dare you hold something so sacred for something so lowly? My husband died in the war and his body just got dumped with the rest of the corpses!" As the protests swelled, the normally quiet Room of Justice swelled with such noise that Kazuki lost his concentration.

"P-Please." the priest cried out. "This is something the whole kingdom can benefit from. If you'll just-"

"How can we benefit? The princess just lost a pet and we're _supposed_ to cheer her up? Madness, I say."

"Please, you all know what if feels like to lose a loved one. Surely, you can sympathize with Chikane-hime and-"

"How can we relate. _We_all lost family members. Horses aren't family. They aren't even people!" The mob began to shout in protest and cry out, causing Kazuki to flee from the crowd. His vain effort to rally them had backfired and quickly, he hid in the library, hidden from all the people. The emerald-haired priest wiped his forehead, covered by his oblonged hat. He stumbled towards the window sill, noticing the moon three-quarters full. Then, a single voice broke the silence.

"Kazuki Oogami..." A deep baritone voice called out. The priest whipped around to see a crimson-eyed man, gazing straight into him. "We meet at last."

The priest was not amused. "Get out, before I call the guards in here!"

The rebel leader put his hands up, feigning defense. "Calm down, I just want to talk to you, that's all."

"We have nothing to talk about, rebel scum. You took my son, and therefore, you are my enemy."

The rebel leader's eyes shot up with interest. "So...You are Souma's father. Then I bring terrible news to you. Your son is dead."

The priest stood still for a while, in shock of these words. His son, the one who would carry on his name, was gone. Though a bit skeptical at first, Kazuki's fears were realized. For a while, dead silence filled the air as the emerald-haired priest picked his words carefully. "How did he die?"

The crimson-eyed man circled around Kazuki, gazing at him, sneering at him, mocking him in any silent way possible. Kazuki felt bitter. "He...died at the hands of the imperialist army. Ironic, isn't it? Your son has died because of your loyalty to this kingdom. And you, his father, wasn't there when he died. It's tragic really. He died on an assassination mission, trying to infiltrate the castle. I believe you remember the night. Cold, dark, the rebels at your front door, a certain Himemiya's 16th birthday..."

The priest turned back and stared at the man with eyes of hatred. "A distraction? You sent Sou-I mean my son to kill the princess?"

The crimson eyed man merely smiled at this. "No, but regardless, he didn't come back that night. Does it upset you, hurt you that your oh-so-precious Souma is dead? Don't you want revenge at those who murdered him?"

Kazuki stood silent at this. Here, his past had reared its ugly head once more now knowing the fate of his son. All he had worked for, all he had done to get here could have been lost if he made the wrong decision. Above all else, he must choose carefully and wisely. He wasn't going to be naive about this.

"It certainly...changes things. Now, what do you want?"

The rebel leader smiled and gazed at the priest. "Supplies, mainly food and cannon powder. If you can get me all of those things, you will be welcomed as a member of the revolution. You'll benefit, Himemiya will not. Please, return to me when you have an answer. I'll be waiting by the burnt horse stables. Oh, and might I say that was a very lovely service you put on. I almost cried tears of laughter."

Kazuki Oogami watched as the rebel leader left. Souma's death had changed things.

* * *

Himeko Kurusugawa stood outside the princess' doors. Now, she was at a crossroads, unsure what to do in situations like these. Slowly, she sighed and knocked the door. At first, when the princess didn't open the wooden barrier, Himeko considered leaving. She considered running away and telling Souma and Makoto everything. But, Himeko stood firm. "_No. No more running away. It's time I made a decision. It's time I chose what I've wanted all along."_

The door croaked open to reveal the azure-haired Chikane-hime. Himeko quickly embraced the princess, wrapping her arms around Miya-sama's slender body. The princess was as warm as ever, comforting without burning to the touch. "Himeko. Are you alright?" The princess chuckled, feeling the golden-haired girls arms coiled around her. Slowly, the princess wrapped her arms around Himeko, breathing a deep sigh of relief. Himeko would've stayed in that position for a lifetime, but tonight was different. _"Tonight, I tell her everything._"

"Do...you want to come inside?" The princess offered with her friendly grin.

Himeko shook awake at the offer. "Oh! Of course."

Seeing the moon, missing a sizable part, the golden-haired girl rushed inside, and sat on the feathered bed. Himeko rubbed her hand on the bed and the fresh sheets that lay on it. She closed her eyes, remembering the warm passion the princess and Himeko shared together, wrapped around each other's arms as if tomorrow would never come. She gripped the sheet tightly, remembering Kazuki's hostility towards Chikane-hime. Himeko winced. _"Now's not the time. This is different."_

As the princess took a seat next to Himeko, the golden-haired girl's heart began to race. A steady _ba-bump ba-bump _began to drown out the silence in the room as she had to physically tell herself to remain calm. She took a deep breath and looked at the princess.

"Chikane-chan," She started. She slowly felt the confidence rise, mainly to the princess' warm face and the princess' genuine smile. As if confidence and fear began to compete with each other, she looked at the princess with boldness in her amethyst eyes.

"Yes, Himeko?" The princess asked a simple question. Now, Himeko felt paralyzed hearing this. Was tonight going to be the same as every other night? _"I'm sick of lying. I don't want to do this anymore. I want...I want...I want to tell Chikane-hime everything, even if it means living my entire life as a maid!_" Himeko calmed herself and found the words.

"Chikane-chan, I'm afraid I'm not what you think I am."

The princess, instead of responding or staring at Himeko with accusing eyes, just gave a suspicious look. She gave a slight nod. "Go on."

"Well," Himeko didn't know where to begin. Should she have started at the assignation attempt, botched because of Chikane-hime's beauty? Should she have talked about her ties with the rebels and find a sort of peace with them and the princess? Maybe her true guilt lied in the stables where Sungest had been brutally killed. Whatever she was going to say, whatever she was willing to admit, Himeko decided to clean her conscience. She took a deep breath and began.

"I...first met you, not in the kitchen, but in here. Chikane-chan, when I first saw you, I...I couldn't do what I was sent to do. To kill you." Himeko winced, expecting a lashing of the princess, but only saw Miya-sama's cold face stare at her. "I...didn't know what to do. At first there were these thoughts of killing you, but then there were these thoughts of...being close to you. I couldn't choose, between what I was and what I am, and...that's why Sungest died. She died because I couldn't make up my mind."

Himeko turned to the princess, being more brave than she was when she put on her black uniform. "But now I'm here. I'm with you, and I'll...I'll do whatever it takes to be with you. I don't care what they do to me. I'll always be at your side," Himeko knelled down, her right knee touching the carpeted floor.

"I'll stand with you 'til the end, Chikane-hime."

The room had become dead silent. Himeko carefully stared at the princess, seeing the somewhat shocked yet dead look on her face. Himeko didn't know what to think. She had confessed, hadn't she? She would receive her reward, would she not? Finally, the young heir to the Himemiya court slowly rose up and stared at Himeko, with a different look.

"Rise, Kurusugawa-san." Himeko gasped. This was the first time the princess called her something than Himeko. Slowly, the golden-haired girl rose up looking at the azure-haired princess with her own innocent eyes. The princess' cold look, however, gave her reason not to respond. Then, she felt a warmth in her right cheek, as if the sun had beat on it for an eternity.

Himeko had never been abused as a child. The orphanage may have given her the scolding or two, but whatever physical blow done to her, was always taken by Makoto or more recently Souma. Now, she felt abused. She felt the hurt, the stining pain that hit her almost immediately. She looked, seeing the princess' left hand go back to her side, after slapping Himeko.

"Get out." The princess went coldly. She stared at Himeko with eyes of hatred, of anger. Himeko didn't understand. Why would the princess do this after Himeko had become honest with her? If anything, the princess should reward her for her kindness, or so Himeko thought.

"Get out now, or I'll call the guards." Himeko felt the impact of such words hit her like glass stinging in her heart. Himeko started to weep as she made it to the door. She nearly turned back but only met the princess' cold stare again.

"I don't ever want to see you on these grounds again, traitor." Then the princess slammed the door, locking Himeko out.

Then Himeko just ran. She just ran past the gate, past the maids, past the guards, everyone. If any arrows or stones hit her, she didn't care. All she felt was hurt.

Himeko just kept running, unsure where she was going.

* * *

"Himeko Kurusugawa is hereby a traitor and is allowed nowhere near the castle grounds." Yukihito read as he followed the emerald-haired preist wherever he went. Dressed in their usual religious garb, the priest and his ward graced the halls, not making eye contact with whomever they passed. The day had become still. Never before has a rebel gotten so close to the princess and yet did nothing. "I can't believe Kurusugawa-san was a traitor. Everyone's going mad about it. What do you think, Sensei?"

The boy was met with no response. For some reason, from the moment they woke up, the priest's normal attitude had become somewhat cold. He did not smile or greet anyone in the regular manner that he used to. For some reason, he'd become mute and silent. In an effort to break the tension, Yukihito decided to talk for him, instead of with him.

"Well, _I _didn't see it coming. If you ask me, Sensei, she could have been mistaken for a nun or some kind of beggar, but an assassin? Now that's-"

"Be silent, Yukihito." Kuzuki demanded. At once the boy's voice became mute. He couldn't remember a time Kazuki scolded him so harshly. "I have to prepare my address to the people. I need to hear myself think." Yukihito, being as loyal and naive as he was, nodded his head slowly. He noticed Kazuki's tone had become harsh and unconcentrated. Slowly, as they made their way outside to the balcony, the sun blinding them, Yukihito wondered what his sensei was thinking about.

* * *

_It had rained. It had rained so fiercely that King Himemiya and his wife worried about the crops, being as fragile as they were. Even on a cold evening like this, none of their fears had been quelled. For the longest time, King Himemiya's war with the motherland was considered idiotic, foolish and childish. But he knew better. He knew how the world had worked. Once you bow down to Luppi the enfeminate, Luppi owned you. The King paced the throne room, his hands behind his back, as his queen watched him from her throne._

_The crimson carpeted floor was unnecessary. The chandeliers, the guards surrounding them, the paintings among paintings of him and his wife, King Himemiya knew he didn't need those. All he needed to do was win. If he could win, everyone would be free. There would be no more iron fist, no more statues, no more Luppi. They would have just peace._

_"My dear," The queen began, her voice slow and tender, "Please rest, you've done enough for today."_

_"The day I do enough," The king said, his beard thick with sweat, "Is when we get our independence. What have I been doing wrong? Why can't I beat Luppi at his game?"_

_The queen sighed, becoming more frustrated with her spouse. "It's no surprise. You've said it yourself, 'this war shall be tolling'. Pantera's a military state for good reason."_

_"But not this tolling. It must be that general of his, the Vulgarian Noise. I always knew he was trouble but now he might break the barricade. My dear, has God abandoned us in our time of need?" The king's dark blue eyes looked at the the serenity of his lover's. She smiled and sat on her throne, wanting to comfort her love. "My dear, God works in mysterious ways. He tests our faith in the harshest of times. But if we remain steady, patient and firm God shall send us a sign. Until then, we do our best."_

_"I know-I know. It's just that-"_

_The grand doors burst open, revealing a figure, staggering and twitching. At first, the king focused his aged sight to see who it was. The man had a peculiar aura around him, as if a great sadness had surrounded him. Slowly, he inched forward, each step more unstable than the last. The aisles of guards snapped to at once. They charged the intruder with broadswords out. Captain Sajin and his lieutenant Tousen remained closely by the king and queen, ensuring their safety above all else._

_The man wore the Himemiya colors, a suit of armo with a blue maned horse and amongst green fields. But his face, it was as if a stanger had taken possesion of him. His long emerald locks had become messy, and wet with sorrow. His brown eyes had rows and rows of exhaustion underneath them. His skin was pale, as if he met death and never recoverd. In short, he looked like a corpse, about to drop dead. Slowly, the king waved the men away, drawing his own sword and pointing it near the man's neck._

_"What is your purpose here, soldier?"_

_The man's composure began to break down. His abnormal stance broke down under the weight of his body as he kneeld before the king, only his knees and his palms preventing him from lying on the ground. It was a terrible sight, but no man dare divert his eyes. The man's arms shook violently as he spoke words seldom forgotten. "...Kill me."_

_"What?" The king asked, unsure if he had gone mad as the man was._

_"Kill me! I'm begging you to kill me! My wife is dead and has left me with nothing more than pain. All because of me. Please, slit my throat with your sword so I can...so I can die with honor!"_

_The king slowly recognized who the man was._

* * *

What did he owe them? In his life, what did Kazuki Oogami owe the king and queen? He gazed down at the mass of people, staring at him, shouting, cheering, maybe even ridiculing him. The bright sunlight blinded his sight. He was always blinded. He looked at the people; he looked and stared at the people wanting to hear what he would say, what he would address to them.

What should he say? After all the years wasted raising the princess, after being a priest of empty words, of being a supporter to a possibly dead cause. He had the power to preserve. He had the power to change. He had power. Slowly, he gazed to each of the faces. The old faces who were tired of war. The young faces who feared the thought of war. The aged faces who'd lost at least a person to war. It was Kazuki Oogami's responsibility to end this war as quickly as possible.

"My people, it is time..." He breathed his words. He had to pick them carefully. After all, it would be embarrasing if he was called a traitor.

"For a change."


	13. Crossroads

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios.

(**A/N:** 103 reviews. That's incredible. That's...That's unbelievable. I'd never thought I would live to see this day. Now that I have, I would like to thank all of you. And especially you, **CrazyNinjaPenguin**)

**Crossroads**

Being the head maid was not the most glorious positions nor was the most important. However in her mind, Otoha knew different. She was the head of cleaning, sweeping, cooking, inspecting, presenting and doing all that was necessary to run keep the Himemiyas in good name. After all, maids were secretly the backbone of all the success that kings and queens enjoyed. Who kept the mansion clean, so that the king wouldn't worry? "_Maids." _Otoha thought. Who made sure all the food was disposed of so that the queen wouldn't have to worry a bit? "_Maids._" Maids did everything so that royalty could do anything.

But still, Otoha felt displeased with herself. Even after washing the clothes, cleaning the chamber pots, clearing the food, and occasionally sweeping near a painting of princess and her horse, she couldn't wake Chikane-hime from her darkness. For the longest time, the princess locked herself up in her room. Others may have thought that the princess was acting childish, and refused to see the world outside. But Otoha knew better. Every time the princess acted in such a manner, she needed time to think, time to gain her composure.

If it was one thing Oujo-sama mastered, it was composure.

But that was different. Today, Otoha would not only do her job, but do it so well that the princess would have to recognize her work and have to snap out of that depression. "_You can do it, Otoha_" She thought to herself, positioned outside the princess' bedroom chamber. _"You can not only do it, but you can make Oujo-sama forget that little blond hussy and have her truly recognize you_!" Otoha sighed, as she entered the private chambers.

"Oujo-sama?" She began, carrying a platter full of succulent food that she made herself. The room was veiled in a deep blue, the sun not penetrating its inner sanctum. On the edge of the bed, sat a lone figure, staring into nothing. "Would you like me to come in?" At first, Otoha feared being rejected once again. However, the princess seemed more than patient and nodded her head. Otoha silently cheered to herself, bringing the warm food and setting it in front of the princess.

"I made fresh stew, and you'll be the first to try it. You do like stew, don't you Oujo-sama?" The head maid watched as Chikane-hime seemed to give a slow nod, out of instinct rather than true interest. Otoha would not be swayed. As she lay the platter of food on Miya-sama's lap, she began to recite the news. The princess always loved to hear about her people.

"You should have been there when Oogami-sensei gave his address to the people. He spoke of how change happens naturally and it shouldn't be feared. I think he has the right idea. Just because things have changed so suddenly for you doesn't mean it's the end of the kingdom. Isn't that right, Oujo-sama?" The princess gave a slight nod, not noticing the arouma of hot food on her lap. As hard as the head maid tried to get through to the princess, her mood stayed the same. Chikane-hime refused to give any acknowledgment or notice to the head maid's efforts.

Otoha felt tired. As much as her dedication to the princess was strong and enduring, the same could not be said about her patience. Otoha merely gave a sigh, and left the food on the princess' lap. "Oujo-sama..."

The princess gave a slight turn to Otoha's direction.

"You know, just because someone hasn't returned your feelings, doesn't mean you can't care for them. If they're happy, then that's all that matters." Otoha spoke from experience. There were days she envied the golden-haired maid, though Otoha was too proud to admit it. In fact, that maid took the one thing that only mattered to Otoha.

"You can support her, even if she's far away."

The princess nodded, finally releasing words out of the prison of her mouth. "Thank you, Otoha-san. But I already knew that."

Silently, the head maid bowed her head and exited the room. As she stepped out of the dark room to the brightly lit hallway, her legs began to feel limp and her skull felt as if it were being crushed by a painful force. She had to lean on a nearby wall or risk collapsing on the ground. The pain she felt, the dizziness, the fainting, it didn't go away as it did with the blond traitor. In fact, Otoha's worst fears were quickly realized. Chikane-hime did love the blond haired girl. She loved her to the point were she couldn't live without her.

_"That little ingrate_," Otoha thought, trying to lift herself from the cold brick wall. _"She didn't even return the feelings to Oujo-sama. Just like Oujo-sama didn't return my feelings..._"

Finally, Otoha bit her lower lip. Streams of tears began to flow down her face. Her heart was in turmoil. Otoha knew why and yet couldn't do a thing about it. "_Why? Why did it have to be her?"_ It was as if her heart began to sink down into a never ending pool of darkness. Her legs barely had any strength, her body felt numb, and her confidence was diminished. It was fortunate that there were no maids passing by, otherwise Otoha's reputation would've been quickly destroyed. _"Why did it have to be that impudent brat, when I was always here? Why?"_

During this talk, the head maid forced herself to stop crying. As much as she wanted to give up, she knew that she couldn't. She was the head maid, after all, who was in charge of keeping the castle clean. _"No more tears. If I have to be wet, be wet wringing the clothes. If I have to feel numb, then I'll carry a pile full of clothes. If I have to feel this way, might as well make things clean._" Otoha gave a deep sigh as the tears stopped. She went down the stairs, and hummed a little tune while getting to work.

If Chikane-hime could be a master of composure, so could Otoha.

* * *

Himeko Kurusugawa felt lost. Though her settings were familiar, Himeko felt lost. As she felt the sun set down, on the kingdom and on her heart, she stumbled into the forest. The things that used to scare her, the rough bark on the trees, the dead limbs sticking out and the occasional midnight blue wolf running out, she didn't feel any fear. Himeko didn't feel any fear, for her worst fear had already been awakened. She had been abandoned. The princess wouldn't accept what she was and she fell through her darkness. _"Chikane-chan..._"

In her confusion, Himeko nearly forgot that she still adorned the maid's uniform. If she could, she would've ripped it all off and run far away, not wanting to remember anything about the kingdom, about Kazuki Oogami and especially about the princess. In fact, Himeko just wanted to drop dead on the forest floor. Little did she suspect a following figure may soon grant her wish.

As Himeko, passed another tree, she felt her throat tighten from foreign hands.

Himeko tired to struggle but the fingers strangled her thin throat, blocking any sort of air from reaching into her lungs. She started to feel dizzy, almost as if sleep was coaxing her to sleep. Himeko shook herself awake and flipped the figure off of her. As she bent down for air, the hands reached for her again and tackled her all over the dirt floor. She struggled and screamed for help. But nobody came. As she began to feel the fists and knuckles on her body, she scratched at her attacker's face, not wanting to die so easily. It wasn't until Himeko cried out in her innocent voice that the attack stopped. "Just go away!"

The attacker stopped. Himeko, at first, felt scared to open her eyes. But when she realized her eyes would not be gouged out, she opened them to see a figure in a black uniform. The assailant pulled her mask. Tears filled Himeko's eyes. For the longest time, she found the one other girl who meant so much in her life. "Mako-chan."

"Himeko!" Makoto Saotome gasped in shock. When she realized she was practically on top of the other girl, Makoto stood up and pulled Himeko up. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know that it was you. I can't believe-"

"Mako-chan!" Himeko burst into tears and fell into the other girl's arms. "Mako-chan, I missed you so much. I'm sorry I didn't try to talk to you, but it was all so sudden and everything was so complicated and-and...I miss you so much!" Himeko's tears began to make Makoto's shoulder wet. But could Makoto blame her? After all, she felt as if she wanted to burst to tears as well. Makoto's comforting hand patted Himeko's back.

"There, there. Everything's going to be alright. Hey, why don't you come with me? I'm sure the rebels will be glad you're okay." Himeko, watching Makoto's eyes, began to stand up and shake her head. Her amethyst eyes fell into a blurred state, as if she were dreaming and her mind wished to continue dreaming.

"No, Mako-chan. Didn't you hear? Chik-Miya-sama is still alive. I didn't do anything. I just...hesitated."

Makoto came up, and shook Himeko fiercely. "What are you talking about? You spent more time than any assassin in the palace, and they didn't catch you! I bet you've gathered all kinds of information at the palace. We don't have to go right now. We can...just relax like we used to. Then, when you're ready, we'll go back. Does that sound okay?" Himeko nodded comfortably. Now, she didn't feel so lost anymore.

Talking with Makoto felt like the warm sun melting the icing off the kingdom. Each time they talked, a bit of Himeko felt better and more relieved. As they talked for hours, walking over and tripping over giant tree branches, Himeko told Makoto all sorts of stories. Himeko told Makoto about how the helmeted guard always scared the golden-haired maid, how there was a very nice priest named Kazuki (Himeko didn't feel it right to reveal his last name) and of course, the princess and the many close encounters she had while almost being caught. With each new story, Makoto was filled with questions. "What does the princess look like? Do all the Panterains were those ugly white outfits? Is it true what they say that if you feed royalty pork, that their face bloats up?"

Himeko, not noticing the sun's gentle morning rays shining on her face, answered. "Well, the princess looks very beautiful. Yes, Mako-chan they do where those white outfits, but they can alter in a little. No, I'm not sure that whole pork rumor is true, thought I did see a man get a rash from it once." As they walked through the forest, nearing the end, Makoto stopped in mid-step. Himeko turned around seeing Makoto's eyes light up with worry.

"Himeko..." Makoto asked, while looking at some far off tree to the left of her.

"What is it, Mako-chan?" Himeko never saw Makoto like this before. In fact, it started to scare her.

"Back then, when I was chasing a maid through the streets...that was you, wasn't it?"

Himeko didn't know how to answer, or what to say. During that time, Himeko was confused and unable to understand the situation around her. She took a deep breath and told Makoto the truth.

"Yes, Mako-chan. I did run away from you that time. I was afraid. I was afraid that you or Oogami-kun or Tsubasa-sama would be ashamed of me and would abandon me. I failed. I didn't want to accept that I failed so I ran away. Mako-chan I-"

"Baka!" The auburn hair girl screamed before delivering a painful blow on Himeko's head. Himeko rubbed the tenderness of her head, unsure how to respond to the action except with the usual reactions.

"Ow! Mako-chan, that hurt!"

"Well, now you know how I felt." Himeko paused and looked up to see Makoto's tears, starting to become fresh. "All this time, I wanted to help you, and you wouldn't accept my help. Do you know how I felt, letting you in there all alone? I-I-"

"Mako-chan..."

"From now on, I'm going to help you no matter what!" Himkeo was stilled by the other girl's words. Never before had she seen such dedication from her friend. "And you have to promise, that when I help you, you won't turn me away."

Himkeo gave a slight nod, "Of course!"

As Makoto helped Himeko up, they grinned at each other. After exiting out of the forest, they were treated to the morning sun, shining across a far reaching shimmer of blue water. Himeko nearly forgot about the lake that she had spent her childhood near. She smiled and giggled as she ran across it, tempting Makoto to follow her. As they tripped, and tumbled across the shore, they laughed themselves to a peaceful state of mind. It was then, that they noticed a lone figure, watching out in the sunset.

"Oogami-kun!" Himeko cried out, waving to the person. The boy turned around and smiled, sprinting as if he were in disbelief. Himeko couldn't help but smile at the familiar boy's face, his lacquer black hair and his brown eyes shining with the dawn.

"Himeko..." the grin on Souma's face would not stop growing, no matter how hard the boy tried. "You're okay..." he quickly wrapped his arms around the blonde's small body as he gave a sigh of relief.

The boy's face quickly looked into her amethyst eyes and looked around. "I mean, what happened? How did you get in? How did you escape? What were you doing all this time?"

Himeko was more than happy to answer. She told stories of the kingdom, about the horse-beater, about the many maids at Miya-sama's disposal, even a talk about the Cultural Celebration as the three of them traveled across the shimmering lake's edge. Himeko felt definitely happier when she was with her friends. But for some reason, she felt less than happy.

"Look!" Makoto cried out. Just as the sun had risen before their eyes, it was quickly setting before them. The orange was a much brighter and vibrant hue than the sun rise. Himeko, Makoto and Souma all sat by the lake's edge, taking in the beauty before them. The still water, the low hum of crickets chirping and the slight wind passing by, giving them shivers, it was a picture Himeko wanted to capture.

"Wow, I didn't realize we were talking so long." Makoto commented, looking at the sun.

"Well, what do you expect?" Souma replied, not once parting his eyes from the sunset. "Time passes by quickly when you're with the ones you care about. When your with someone you care about, nothing matters, not even time."

Himeko listened silently hearing these words. All this time she was gone, she didn't know how long it had been since she had seen her friends. _"That's because I was with Chikane-chan. I think that I...I_" Slowly, Himeko bit her lower lip. Her body began to tremble fiercely and she held her arms to warm themselves. After all this time, she understood. _"Oh my God..._"

Makoto looked in terror, when her eyes investigated the strange noise. "Himeko! Himeko, what's wrong?"

"Himeko, are you alright?" Souma asked, expressing his concern.

Slowly, Himeko got up, walked to the lake's edge and paused. For the longest time, she suspected it. Only now, when she could feel this false happiness compared with true happiness that she understood the revelation. _"All this time, why didn't I figure it out? It was so obvious that I...I denied it. Well, no more._"

"I went to the palace, and I fell in love."

As if a burst of relief came, Makoto replied. "Himeko, that's great."

Souma, seemingly upset by this, gave a deep sigh and asked, "Who is he? Is it someone we know?"

Himeko turned around and simply said, "I don't think you know him. But this person I'm talking about is certainly familiar."

Makoto quickly jumped up and stared at Himeko straight in the eyes. "You did naughty things, didn't you, Himeko?"

"Mako-chan!" Himeko cried out in her embarrassment. "No...I didn't."

"Yes, you did! I can see you blushing. I didn't know you were so _naughty_, Himeko!"

"Saotome-san!" Souma said, silencing her. "Now's not the time. Himeko...who did you fall in love with?"

Himeko wasn't sure what Souma was asking or more importantly, why he was asking. Himeko thought that part of Oogami must have been upset that she fell in love with someone else. Then, Souma might have wanted to know who she fell in love with and with whom did they side with. Himeko gave a small sigh.

"This person...cares deeply for the kingdom. They want to maintain order, but they don't really care that much for the princess. No, they couldn't care less."

"So they're with the princess."

Himeko nodded. She was afraid that was what Oogami was asking.

Slowly, Souma put his hands around Himeko's shoulders. "Kurusugawa-san. Listen to me. Don't tell anyone that you've seen this person, not even Tsubasa."

Himeko's mind cried it in protest. After all this time lying to herself, Himeko felt wrong to lie to others about the wonderful experience she had been through. "But they're not that different! The person I was with was kind, soft and gentle. They couldn't hurt anybody. Don't you see, this means that we don't have to fight, that we can resolve our differences and-"

"Shut up!" Souma screamed, gripping Himeko's shoulders to the point of silence. For the longest time, Himeko remembered fear. Souma's face had become contorted with rage; lines over his face seemed to diminish whatever human quality there was to his face. He felt different too. It was almost as if there was an aura about him. This aura, creeping and reacting, felt dark. It was as if there were some great dark side to him as well. When Souma realized what he had done, he pulled away.

"I didn't mean to- What I'm saying is that you can't tell anybody about this love of yours." The boy rationalized. "They wouldn't understand. It's too strange. Just...don't tell anybody. I don't want to see you go away."

Himeko nodded. Seeing the hurt in Oogami's face made her realize that there was no going back.

As they walked, Makoto, in a slightly less bubbly mood whispered to Himeko.

"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

* * *

Nightfall seemed calm after the long night planning the overthrow of the kingdom. The rebels whispered quietly amongst themselves, planning ways of how to overthrow the kingdom. Rumor went around that Tsubasa had it all planned out. Lately, the rebels really followed Tsubasa's orders to the strictest fashion. The crimson-eyed man spared no potential traitor as he went to talk with a 'contact' in the castle. Then, the rebels gasped when they saw three figures walk through the dark.

The first two were recognizable enough. It was Tsubasa's brother, wearing his usual rag. Then, there was the annoying girl who always talked too much. Finally, the final girl appeared as if the holy father himself appeared before them. At first, people shouted protests in denial, stating that it wasn't possible for that person to arrive. But sure enough, it was her. From the waist-length straw hair, to the eyes that shone a purple hue, to the small squeaks in her voice, it was her. Himeko Kurusugawa trailed back of her two friends, nearing the rebel leader's tent.

The crowd hushed, seeing Tsubasa himself arrive. At first, his eyes gazed wide open seeing the girl for the first time. People discussed amongst themselves what Tsubasa would do with such a girl. This was, after all, the girl Tsubasa chose himself to kill the princess. At first, Tsubasa said nothing. He simply glanced over the girl, circling her, to see that his eyes weren't decieving him. Sure enough, he had examined as throughly as he could to ensure it was the girl standing next to him. He looked her over, and reached his left hand, clean, to the girl's scalp.

"Um...Tsubasa-sama..." The girl spoke. But the people didn't care about that. They paid attention only to Tsubasa's pale reach, slowly intertwining his fingers with the girl's hair, running it through the locks. "The reason I didn't come back sooner was...um..." The crowd realized that Tsubasa's fingers had not left the girl's scalp. Slowly, his hand reached her head.

Then, with a short pull, he dragged the girl on the ground, pulling on her hair as the girl screamed.

"Tsubasa-sama! Please, stop! That hurts."

"Traitor!" The crimson-eyed man cried out. Almost immediately, the crowd gathered, preparing to lunge at the girl. "Traitor! Traitor! Get my rifle! Kill her! Kill her!" As if not missing anything, Miyako handed Tsubasa his rifle. As he pointed the end of it to the girl's face, still crying from the pain of the pulled locks, another figure lunged in and shouted.

"Tsubasa!" The leader's brother cried out. He ran for him and started to wrestle the rifle from his grip. The rebels started to drag the younger Oogami boy from the rebel leader. But no matter how strong they pulled on his clothes or his hair, his fingers would not let go of the grip of the gun. The entire camp watched what happened. In a moment of frustration, Tsubasa aimed the gun at his brother's head.

A single shot rang out.

The people cried. They shouted and they covered their heads. They witnessed the untold act that had happened. When those too cowardly to watch finally struck up the nerve to watch, they witnessed nothing short of miraculous. Tsubasa's end of the rifle was aimed at Oogami, inches away from his face. And it missed completely, hitting the tree in the background.

"Tsubasa! Hime-Kurusugawa-san doesn't need to be killed. The princess herself banished her. It was all over the kingdom!"

"No! She's a traitor! How else could she have survived so long with Himemiya? She betrayed us! She's been living comfortably while were were working. While we fought the war, she's been sitting at the princess' side like a loyal dog! She must die!" The crowd nodded in agreement. Through Tsubasa's words and wisdom, they came to realize that the girl was indeed a traitor.

"Kill her!" Cried an old woman, lost of teeth. "Off with her head."

"Kill her!" An old man said, soon to be joined by his grandchildren. "People like that don't deserve to live!"

Everywhere it was the same, the people cried and shouted for blood. "Kill her! Kill the traitor! Kill those who'd destroy our revolution!" As the noises began to fill the camp, both the traitor girl and the rebel leader's brother looked in shock seeing the villagers against them. It wasn't long before the camp's shouts began to drown out the peace of night, breaking its sanctity. Finally, Tsubasa's brother spoke.

"Send her to the Great Forest."

The people whispered and glared at each other. "The Great Forest? Why bother? Just kill her now! Didn't your brother get lost there once?"

"Who says we need to kill her?" The younger boy replied. "Let the forest do it. No one's ever come out of that place alive, not without eating a horse. Kurusugawa can rot while we pursue what's ours."

The girl began to cry tears hearing this. The rebel leader was not amused. "What?! And let her contact the royals? Never! We should just kill her now!" The crowd burst in cheers, calling for blood and for punishment. But the younger boy would not be swayed.

"If you kill Kurusugawa, you'll have to kill me as well. I'm just as much a traitor as she is." The night became still. No one uttered a word. Slowly, the rebel leader cast his rifle away and drew out a broadsword. When he stuck it near his brother's throat, people silently urged for blood. But, just as quickly as it came, it withdrew. Tsubasa, instead grabbed his brother by the collar.

"If you think I'll let you get away that easily, you're wrong. You stay here, where I can see you. As for Kurusugawa, chase her into the forest. I have no need of her." The rebels followed suit, carrying their pitchforks and own rifles, sending the traitorous witch to the forest.

Never was there a more exciting night.

* * *

Makoto couldn't believe it. After all this time, nothing had changed. Himeko left again. It was like Makoto's bones and nerves became stiff. She couldn't even move an inch and Tsubasa and Oogami managed to chase Himeko back to the forest. Makoto fell on her knees. The pain, the feeling of what she had done, was unforgivable. "_No. Not again. Why didn't I move? Why didn't I move? Himeko...no. I lost her. I lost her for good this time._"

For the first time in a long time, Makoto stayed on the ground, feeling it was her place. She had betrayed her best friend, by doing nothing.

* * *

There was much debate amongst the Elders as they awaited Kazuki's return. Even after getting up at dawn's break, the bickering group consisting of ancient and archaic members were more irritable than usual. With the burning of the stable, there came much controversy on what should be done and how it should be handled. With each passing day, the Elders bickered more and more. Some even wanted to leave the conference room right away. Others continued their hard headiness and wanted to continue the war, while others demanded an end.

Finally, the many conversations broke when Kazuki entered through the doors. As usual, he wore his over-sized snow white gown with his moss green hair over flowing from his oblong hat. However, there was something different about him. The whole room could tell he wasn't sleeping much. The numerous lines under his lines revealed that. But as he walked slowly through to his seat, a strange aura covered him, as if he wasn't pleased in the slightest. It also didn't help that much of the captain's men had followed him.

"You're certainly late, Kazuki." An old man cried out. "Do you know how long we've been waiting for you? What have you been doing all this time? We need to discuss our plan of action."

"I've already come up with that." Kazuki Oogami said bluntly. "While you squabbled amongst yourselves, I was busy making sure the kingdom was safe. I met with the rebel leader. He's willing to compromise."

The whole room filled with whispers of delight, doubt and even criticism. Such an act would be deemed impossible. They didn't understand how such a thing could be done without bloodshed or death. As they settled down, the old man rose from his seat.

"Well, what do they want?"

Kazuki's hands were tucked deep within his scarf as he rose up from his chair and circled the entire table of the Elders. "Considering the fact that we could have lost our entire culture, our people and our dignity, the rebels terms are reasonable. The rebels are not savages as you believe. They merely want the people to be equal and their leader wants to watch over them. It's a simple yet strong system."

"What are their terms, Oogami-san?" The Elder asked Kazuki. His question had not yet been answered. Finally Kazuki spoke.

"All that is required is the blood of the princess."

As if a cannon blew off, the entire table of Elders rose up, their white robes lifted from their seats. As arguments and jeers were to be shouted out, the guards quickly drew their swords. Each of the guards aimed their swords at the Elders neck, able to slit it off, if their hands weren't so steady. Finally Kazuki composed himself and cleared his throat.

"If everyone could have a seat." The Elders slowly sat down with the guards' blades following them. However, one defiant Elder, the most outspoken of the bunch, refused to take his seat.

"I will not accept this. You are mad, Oogami! You think these rebels can sustain a kingdom? You think their idiotic and boyish talk of absolute freedom is true? The princess will not stand for this!"

Kazuki's hands reached into his giant sleeves once more. "The princess doesn't have to know anything, for you won't tell her anything." Kazuki's hands shifted swiftly after throwing some shining metal to the Elder. The others gasped seeing that the knife flew past them and hit directly into the Elder's heart. The man staggered for a few moments, trying to grab a piece of the table but failed. He stumbled down and choked on his own blood, oozing out of his mouth. As Kazuki slid the knife out the man, he spoke to his last dying moments of life.

"I won't let you destroy this kingdom because of your foolish pride. Above all else, the kingdom survives."

Kazuki rose up and stared at the Elders, giving a slight grin.

"I trust that there will be no more objections?"


	14. Forsaken

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios.

(**A/N:** You know what pisses me off? That damn commercial for the Macdonald's Southern Chicken Biscuit during the Olympics. Mainly, 1) it makes the athletes become fricken' hypocrites and 2) it's advertised as breakfast. People, how in any way, shape or form, is that breakfast? It barely qualifies as food. It's just a Chicken Breast in between a biscuit, for cryin' out loud! Put some egg on it, put some bacon on it, put some hashbrowns on it and maybe, I'll be fooled. And why do they make Olympic athletes peddle this garbage? I thought the Olympics were supposed to promote good health, not crappy fast food.

...Oh, and here's the newest chapter. Damn Macdonald's.)

**Forsaken**

Himeko Kurusugawa woke from her sleepless night on the hard dirt floor, waking up in the Great Forest. Trees dominated everywhere, creating a rooted and branched path wherever she went. Waking from her slumber, she felt the pangs of her stomach before she tripped for the fourth time in the forest, landing on her face. The rumors that spread about the forest were more or less true. It wasn't so much as life giving as it was a gigantic growth that constantly fed into the ground. Each of the trees grew to such an immense size, they could've crushed Himeko if one of them fell. But then again, death by a tree would be a relief after all that she had went through.

Himeko understood what she had done, and why she had deserved such a fate. _"All this time,_" Himeko thought, _"I couldn't choose between two things I cared about the most. I was afraid. But because I was afraid, I lost both of them. Why?_" Himeko thought as she tripped and her face hit a protruding root. _"Because I was scared? Because I cared too much for either of them to sacrifice one of them?_" Himeko's maid dress had caught against a branch and torn, but she didn't care. She was lost in a daze of confusion. Her body felt rotten and all she could do was keep walking. Eventually, she came across a cave of sorts. Slowly, she entered it and walked through the ground. Inside, the cavern was warm and inviting. She never felt the earth so soft and yet so strong. She decided to lay down and rest, for as long as she could.

During Himeko's time in the shrine, she was able to take care of her most basic functions. The fruit was as bad and as sickening as the horse-beater described. Himeko would be lucky to come across any sort of berry that didn't induce vomiting or dysentery. The bathroom was simple enough. She simple needed to go a certain distance and squat down, letting whatever fluid leek out. For the rest of the day, Himeko sat in misery, thinking of all her memories and what they had meant. She thought about her two friends, loyal except when times got rough. She thought about Kazuki and Otoha, wondering if they would survive the oncoming invasion. Then, most of all, she thought about the princess.

She remembered how the princess embraced her warmly when they first met. She remembered all the times she had with the princess: the horse-riding, the piano concert, the meeting with Pantera and all those warm memories. But most of all, she remembered that night together in the warm bed. Never before had Himeko felt so pleased when she was near the princess. It was like seeing the moon shine on her, making her want to be with its glorious beauty. She wanted those thin arms to wrap around her and lift her up, riding on horseback. Himeko wanted that feeling of love so much, that's she'd give anything for it. She would die for it_. _"_Chikane-chan..." _

Eventually, night fell as it did with all the other nights. Usually, night brought more beauty into the kingdom and its surroundings. Rather, a cold sense of fear started fill Himeko's spirit. She heard dead silence, along with the creeks of the trees and the wind blowing coldly through the night. She also felt the iciness of the rock hard floor. In a moment of near dizziness, she stood up and walked towards the back of the cave. Slowly, Himeko swore she felt a flicker of heat in her direction. Inspired, she started to limp towards the light and found a glorious sight.

A statue, carved out of marble or stone or possibly white stone, stood before her. Candles lit around this statue as Himeko was rewarded with the sight of Ame no Murakumo, the great Kenshin.

She sat by the statue, wanting to feel its warmth. She looked upwards to see how the statue stared at her coldly. Ame no Murakumo took the form of a beautiful woman. Her face was calm and motherly: an oval shaped face, a narrow but proud nose, and full lips. The statue's strands reminded her of Chikane-hime's locks dragging down to her waist. Her robe dragged down and revealed her hourglass form. As for her eyes, they were blank, as if no mortal eyes could match what the God's eyes looked like. Himeko would have worshiped such a statue if she had believed in it. Sadly, Ame no Murakumo was nothing more than a legend, and Himeko knew that, above all else, legends were rarely true.

"You." Himeko gasped, hearing a familar low pitched voice behind her. She turned around, seeing a woman with curly blond hair, a maid's uniform that was very clean, and above all else, a face contorted with rage.

"Otoha..."

"I have only one thing to say to you." Himeko didn't know how to respond. Otoha had always brought that sense of fear and doubt in Himeko. Himeko, unsure what kind of weapon or threat Otoha brought, instinctively brought her arms in a defensive position. She even gave a small puppy-like whine. But no pain followed. Himeko felt no scar, no cut, no injury. She, hesitantly, opened her eyes only to be met with Otoha, kneeling at her feet.

"Please, save Ojou-sama!"

Himeko never saw Otoha so vulnerable before. She imagined the head maid to be strong-willed as she was thick headed. But the maid here seemed honest, harboring no deception or any harm. Still, even if Himeko would have wanted anything more in the world to save the princess, she knew that Miya-sama would refuse help in an instant.

"You've got the wrong person." Himeko said, staring off at the candles flickering in the night air. "The princess hates me. She knows that I'm a traitor. She hates me. If I were to step on her home, she would surely have me-"

"You stupid girl!" The head maid screamed, her shrill voice echoing in the cavern. "Don't you understand? Ojou-sama always knew you were working with the rebels." Himeko's heart fell. Did the princess actually know that she was a spy? If so, then that would mean the princess was using her these past few weeks. "_No. That can't be right. How did Chikane-chan know that I was working with them. Did she know all along?_"

"Then why did she-"

Otoha refused to be interrupted once again as she explained. Her anger took hold of her voice, rising with each word. "Ojou-sama once told me that you were not to be harmed. You would live among us and be treated as a guest in our home. She knew that once you confessed that you were working with the rebels, she would have to banish you and make sure that it was publically announced that you were a rebel. It was your only chance at survival."

The head maid, took a deep breath and sat in a kneeling position. "The Elders, the guards, even the maids, wouldn't tolerate your love. Even if they managed to get past the fact that you were a woman, the fact that you were a rebel would unsettle them. They would have eventually thrown you to the dungeons or kill you. All that mattered to Ojou-sama was that you were safe." Himeko wanted to deny this easy truth. She wanted to scream at Otoha for telling her this. But Himeko studied Otoha's face. Her brown eyes never shifted. Her shrill voice was calm and steady. Himeko sighed, knowing that Otoha had spoke the truth. _"Why? Why didn't she tell me that she knew all along? I would have...I would have stayed with her!"_

"There's more. If, by chance, you did join back with the rebels, Ojou-sama would meet you in a final battle, and lose." Himeko gasped at this fact. The idea that the princess would give up her entire kingdom for one person was unbearable. Himeko didn't realize that the princess' love ran so deep. _"Why me? Why would she do this for me? Could it be that her love is that strong?_" Himeko winced at this fact.

"Please! Save Ojou-sama! The rebels will attack soon and she'll give up her kingdom without so much as a fight!" Otoha's pleas became more desperate and more heart felt. Still, even with all of this information, Himeko would be doing the exact opposite of what the princess wanted.

"Gomenasai, Otoha. How can I save Chikane-hime? All I did was-"

"What are you talking about?" Otoha's voice had become shrill and angered once more. "That's what you've been doing all this time, saving her!" Himeko gasped at this. She didn't understand. Himeko didn't save the princess from anything. In fact, she might have done the exact opposite.

"All this time, she was alone. She shied from the public and was in a shroud of darkness, until you came along and you gave her light. I...tried. I tried to save her so many times, but I couldn't reach her. Now...now I see, only you can save her." Himeko watched in awe, hearing drops of water, fall onto the ground. At first she thought that the roof had leaked. She then realized that the sounds were tears from the head maid, kneeling before her feet.

"Please...please save Ojou-sama. I'll do anything you want. I'll clean your clothes. I'll cook your food. I'll even wash your sheets. I'd do it and never complain. Just, please, save Ojou-sama." Himeko didn't know what to say. The woman who had been her superior for weeks had just begged at her feet. She just learned that her lover had lied to her. And she learned that the princess would kill herself, just for Himeko. She sighed.

"Okay. I'll do it." Himeko felt relieved, seeing Otoha's smile once more. "But we have to work fast! Otoha, the rebels banished me! I'm no longer with them anymore!" The maid gasped. The sudden news must have shocked her, so Himeko shook her out of it and stood Otoha up.

"Go to Chikane-hime, and tell her that I will be with her. I don't know how, but I think I can reach the rebels. Maybe some of my friends can help me. Go, Otoha! This is the only way we can stop this!" Himeko watched as Otoha ran to the mouth of the cave. Just as Himeko would have left, she needed to know something.

"Otoha!" The head maid turned to her. "How did you find me?"

"I followed your horse's tracks here. They were pretty deep so I figured they must have been yours." Himeko looked at the head maid with confusion. She shook her head in denial.

"But, Otoha. I didn't take a horse here."

"It doesn't matter. I found you, and that's all that matters. I'll go on ahead. Good luck."

"You too, Otoha!" As Otoha rode her steed, Himeko ran toward the rebel camp. However, she forgot to realize how enduring the trials of the Great Forest. The trees were thick and literally built walls around her. Himeko, deteremined to find the rebels, ran in a straight direction. For hours, Himeko saw that the trees had still remained and that she might have been running for hours. The sun's early rays began to shine. Himeko was running out of time. She felt the pangs of her stomach once again as she collapsed on the forest floor. The last thing she remembered was that she had failed.

"_Chikane-chan..._"

* * *

Otoha, finally arrived at the Himemiya mansion, in the dead of night. Having to go to the forest on multiple occasions, she learned that by notching marks on the trees, she could avoid getting lost. She did, however, seem out of place when she entered the mansion. When she had entered, the usual welcoming party was missing and as for the guards and everybody else, they were gone as well. Otoha frantically started to run searching for any sign of royalty or servant. She was, instead, welcomed to the head priest, standing at the top of the stairs.

"Hello, Otoha." Kazuki Oogami spoke with only a dim candle lighting his face. "You're certainly late, aren't you?"

"Oogami-sensei!" Otoha said with a fright. She never expected the head priest to be here. "I was just-I needed to gather some ingredients from the forest again, but it was too dark so I had to come back...home. Where is everybody?"

Kazuki smirked and gave a slight chuckle. "That's not important. What's important is what we need to do here Otoha." The head maid looked at the priest with a suspicious look. She never knew the priest could have such a casual and easy going manner about him. "Otoha, what if I were to tell you that you could be a hero in the new world, and all you have to do is betray one person?"

The maid gasped at this question. She should have known. _"All that talk of change and your easy going attitude. Now I know what your up to, Kazuki Oogami." _She took in a deep breath and began to her accusation.

"What have you done to Ojou-sama?" She cried, her voice echoing in the halls of the mansion. She wouldn't forgive him if he killed the princess, no matter how kind he was. All this time, such an evil person was living in their midst. She would have slapped him if he weren't so high up. Otoha wanted to throw him to the dungeons for saying such a thing in such a calm and nonchalant manner.

"Nothing. She lives, for now. But I still haven't received an answer from you, Otoha. What would you do?" Otoha didn't even consider the other options. Any decision that compromised her mistress' safety was not an option. All those years serving a person, to share in their pain, to wipe the tears from their sheets, weren't because she wanted an easy life. It was because she was fiercely loyal.

"I would tell Ojou-sama what you were up to, in order to protect her."

Kazuki Oogami gave a somewhat disappointed sigh. All this time, through all of his talk, Otoha wanted to slap that smirk on his face. That care free attitude, that apathy towards her princess. If this man represented God, then Otoha would have wanted nothing more than to have Satan's dark forces come up and slaughter him. But she kept her calm. Otoha wasn't sure what the priest was capable of, and he might have already killed the princess and was using this to test her. But still, even if Chikane-hime was still clinging on to life, Otoha would never betray her.

"That really makes me sad, Otoha. I'm sure my guest would be very disappointed to hear that. Aren't you, Tsubasa?" Otoha screamed seeing the rebel leader come right next to him, but was silenced. Otoha felt her legs lifted up the ground as she was carried by the former royal guard. She shrieked in panic as the guards carried her through the door and she was seated in a wooden chair only to be tied up. As she started her scream in protest, her mouth was gagged by a piece of white cloth. It wasn't soon before Kazuki and Tsubasa entered the door together.

"Why do we keep tying up maids?" Tsubasa barked in his low baritone voice. Otoha always hated the way it sounded. But she stood silent as Tsubasa drew out his broadsword. "We should just kill them now!"

"No!" Kazuki screamed. His dark placid green hair almost fell out of his hat. "This girl is no harm to us. We just need to tie her up until we take care of the princess."

"We should just kill the Himemiya whore now!" Tsubasa's temper had risen. His head had began to radiate this aura about him, as if evil had enshrouded him. Otoha just kept watch of the situation, wanting to know what would happen.

"You listen to me!" Kazuki barked, drawing out his own sword. Otoha could see it was recently cleaned and sharpened. That spoke more to Otoha than any threat Kazuki would have said.

"You've won these people's arms. You've won their minds. But you haven't won their hearts. We do this the wrong way and you're going to face rebellion after rebellion for as long as you rule." Kazuki's calm and slow voice had eased the Tsubasa's tension. Otoha, however, was furious at the thought that Kazuki could be so cold, so calculating.

"So what are you proposing?"

"Simple. We need to lure the princess out in a false battle. She'll amass her army, begin her attack, but instead, the army and all the civilians will surround her in a circle. She'll be forced to fight you, and you'll kill her." Just as Tsubasa would have spoken, Kazuki silenced him.

"No, not with that new weapon of yours. It's too foreign, too new. People don't respect it. They will, however, respect the blade. Kill her with your sword, and Mahoroba will be yours to command." The rebel leader pondered on this. Otoha could tell that Tsubasa was thinking of the exact same thing she had thought. Was all of this necessary in order to kill the princess? True, rebellions come and go, but was this smart?

"Seems awfully complicated." Tsubasa admitted.

"Why do you think this kingdom has been at peace for 16 years? Because of that little spoiled child? Because of the king and queen? No. It's because people saw them fight off a military power. People respect the blade. They respect how people can use the blade to slay their enemies. I've been living with these people since Mahoroba's birth. Don't think I wouldn't understand how they think."

The rebel leader chuckled. "Very well. We'll take out this very developed plan of yours and we'll do it your way. When shall we meet tomorrow on the battlefield?"

"In the morning. The sooner we get this done, the better." As the rebels began to leave, Kazuki was left alone to the maid strapped in the chair. As Otoha's arms tried to break the ropes that trapped her, she began to shout insults through her gag, as if a last minute resort. The priest, as if his mood had suddenly changed, leaned over to Otoha and whispered to her.

"This is necessary, Otoha. The less people that die, the better. We'll weed out the trouble-makers in that last battle and kill them all, but you'll survive. Don't worry, Otoha. When this is over, you'll be safe, and we'll all be heroes."

* * *

Himeko Kurusugawa opened her eyes. She rubbed them softly, trying to bring focus to her eyes. Her eyes had become blinded from the bright light that shone on her. At first, Himeko believed it to be the sun. _"But the sun isn't this bright. Not this early._" Himeko's sight had become clearer as she gasped. The figure she saw wore long white robes that dragged on the ground, or something resembling the ground. Himeko's environment had been replaced by some golden limbo. There was no beginning nor end to the yellow space.

As the figure walked or rather, strode towards her, Himeko recognized the features. The oval shaped face added to her beauty as did the proud nose and full lips. The figure's stance was like that of an hourglass, curving inwards toward the middle. The hair did reach down to her waist, but unlike the princess, the locks were that of pure amber. But most of all, it was the eyes that told Himeko. Her eyes had been replaced by a blank white space which bright white lights shone out of. But, if anything they still resembled eyes.

Himeko bowed down before the great Ame no Murakumo.

"Orochi uses an unique kind of evil. Unique, but evil none the less." Ame no Murakumo's voice seemed to come as soft, motherly, and earth-like. It was strong and commanding but gentle enough for a newborn child to be comforted by. "Rise, child. You bore me with your formalities."

"Ame no Murakumo-sama! I never realized, that is I never expected-"

"Quiet!" The kenshin roared. Her angered voice echoed throughout the limbo that suspended Himeko. It was if the blond's body shook with each deafening vibration. "You do not get to speak. Now when I have things to say."

Himeko nodded. Whatever she wanted to say, it was nothing compared to Ame no Murakumo.

"Listen well, child. You will play an important role in the events to come. You know of this Tsubasa and his campaign against the one you cherish, do you not?" Himeko nodded. "Then know this. Your rebellion is not being led by your leader. Rather, he is a puppet, controlled by Yamata no Orochi." Himeko gasped. During her childhood, she had heard many tales of the eight-headed serpent who tried to take over the world time again and again, only to be foiled by Ame no Murakumo. She shuddered at the idea of Tsubasa being controlled by such a being.

"If Tsubasa and his rebel army succeeds in this false campaign today, the world shall be cast in a different type of darkness. The forests, the trees, the landscape shall be warped. They will disappear and pillars of smoke shall fill the sky. Weapons of untold destruction shall be introduced before their time, and won't be long until Orochi's rule has spread to the ends of each shore. You must not let that happen." Himeko pondered on this and, through her innocence asked a simple question.

"But, if you know about Orochi, can't you stop him?"

"Do not ask such idiotic questions, child!" Himeko shuddered hearing the voice deafen her ear drums. She didn't mean to cause such offense. "Don't you think the idea occurred to me? Don't you think I would have done it myself instead of asking a lowly human to do the task for me? The Lord of Heavens has asked me to not to disturb the balance in this mortal world. If Orochi had taken bigger steps, the circumstances might have been different, but here, Orochi's steps are small and subtle. He must be repelled using the same type of technique."

Himeko shook with fear. If the Gods weren't able to defeat Orochi, how could she? "Please! Please, you have to save Chikane-chan, you have to! I love her. I love her so much that I'd give anything to save her!"

"Hmm." Ame no Murakumo, regardless of how she was heralded in legends was cold and apathetic to Himeko. "How naive. You think your underdeveloped sense of love will save your princess? You are a bigger fool than I thought. To think Love alone can defeat the physical barriers of this world."

"Then what?" Himeko screamed, rising to her feet and screaming at Ame no Murakumo. It didn't matter if this goddess was the size of a mountain. Himeko needed to get something from her. Anything would help her journey. "You need me! You need me to stop Orochi from conquering this world. So if you don't offer something in return, I can't do it."

The great kenshin looked at her with an angered face, contorted and starting to form cracks. "You dare ask for more in such an insolent tone? We gave you arms, and it is not enough. We gave you speech, and it is not enough. We gave you the ability to comprehend, and still you display such greed." Himeko wasn't sure what the goddess would do, but Himeko didn't care. She would do anything at this point.

"Fine. If you desire the aid of the Gods so badly, earn it! Earn it, and prove that we can still have faith in you humans." Ame no Murakumo snapped her fingers and Himeko woke up from her deep slumber.

Himeko looked around to see that nothing had changed. Himeko still sat on the dirt floor. Her stomach still ached from hunger pangs. Her body still adorned the torn and disgusting maid uniform. She sighed, thinking the Gods had abandoned her. However, her eye caught sight of something strange. At first, she believed it to be coincidence, but sure enough her fingers felt the hole on the ground. _"A horse track._" Himeko gasped. The trail was fresh and shallow. She began to run, almost tripping on the roots. As the tracks began to bunch together, she rushed and sprinted upwards toward the slope. When she reached the top, she gasped.

In her amethyst eyes, she beheld a splendid sight. The creature that stood before eyes was something she couldn't properly imagine. The steed had a coat of pure white. It's muscles were strong, bulging and developed. But most of all, Himeko recognized the eyes. Looking into them, Himeko imagined two moons submerged into a swamp of black. It was true. Abuki was right. It did exist.

"Shirosaki..."Himeko whispered.


	15. The King and the Horse

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios. Any and all cameos are copyrighted to Tite Kubo.

**The King and the Horse**

The Himemiyas weren't barbarians. Very rarely, were they to be seen on the battle field. Instead of adorning a suit of armor, the Himemiyas would look graceful in battle. The princess adorned a silk white dress, it's train dragging on the floor. Atop her head, she wore her family's crown with a sense of pride. As she looked in the mirror, she prepared herself for battle. The news had come quickly, suddenly, but it did not come as a surprise_. "Miya-sama! Miya-sama_!" She remembered the conversation very well and very vividly_. _Chikane-hime could remember Yukihito's fear and sweat show through his rags. _"I have terrible news. The rebels have begun leading the assault on Mahoroba! If we don't get all the guards together, we may just very well lost the kingdom_."

As she brushed her hair, making sure it was suitable for a princess, she took a deep breath_. "Do you know of Oogami-sensei's and Otoha-san's where abouts_?"

_"Sadly yes and no. I just received word that Oogami-sensei's rallying the troops, but I haven't seen him. However, we are unaware of Otoha-san's where abouts as well as the other maids. It is presumed that they have either joined the rebels, or they went on ahead to stop them._"

The princess took the Bible in her hand and kneeled with it, reading a few scriptures. _"No, Otoha wouldn't do such a thing. She would never betray me._"

_"Miya-sama..."_

_"Find Oogami-sensei, and tell him that I'm ready. If I fail here, at least the soldiers will die with pride._"

She rose from her prayer and began her graceful stride to battle. She gently pushed the door open to find the foyer empty. She inhaled the fresh air and admired the cleanliness that Otoha had prided herself in. The princess gently slid her fingers on the wooden railing, imaging her hand to be a sail on a very rough and slippery current. As she neared the stairs, she took a look at the painting of her and Sungest, always suspended in air and close to heaven. She knew she would never see these things again. She would never grace this palace again, or would take in the castle's warmth. She closed her eyes, and smiled softly. _"Everything done to this point has been done for you. Today, Himeko. I will die for you, so you may live happily"_

She broke the twin entrance doors open, revealing a blinding light. As she shielded her eyes, they revealed all of her family, the librarian, the shop keeper, the fire breather, amongst countless others, adorning a shined suit of armor. The only one who didn't wear several layers of protection was none other than Kazuki Oogami. As he gently approached the princess, she gave a slight smirk. "Oogami-sensei, I think God will allow an exception today, and permit you to adorn a suit of armor."

"No, no." The priest smiled. "The rules are very strict on this. 'Thou shall not adorn a suit of armor if under God's service.' Besides, something tells me I won't be needing it today."

"An angel, perhaps?" The princess gave a slight chuckle.

"Perhaps." The two of them shared a somber laugh, before mobilizing the troops. As she led her army, walking gallantly in front, she passed the many shops that she had come to know and love. When they caught sight of the army, they immediately shut their windows and barricaded thier doors. Even the common folk knew this would be the last battle. She took a deep breath. At the edge of the forest, lay the rebel army. They wore rags and carried their pitchforks and their swords. The princess knew what she had to do. _"This will be over soon, Himeko. Wherever you are, this will be over soon._" As she drew out her sword, long and thin, she cried to the army. "Charge!"

As her ears fell to silence, she knew something had gone wrong. She turned back to see not a single soldier had rushed past her nor did any man or woman even attempt to follow her orders. Instead, they stood still watching the princess be made a fool out of. She didn't understand what had happened. Her army didn't even budge the slightest at her orders.

"That won't be necessary." The head priest said in a calm manner. "Soldiers, if you could, please form a circle around the princess. And close the gaps; we don't want her to escape." The princess cried in shock, seeing each of the soldiers and each of the rebel army form a thick circle around her and stepped forward. Everywhere the princess looked, the eyes were mocking her. They were so close, that Chikane-hime could see the sweat that glazed some of the rebels. She thought she would die with her kingdom, rather she would die alone. What shocked her the most was Kazuki's words and how cold they sounded. She always knew that he could be unfeeling, but to want her dead? That was unbearable to her.

"Protect the princess!" She gasped seeing several guards of the army suddenly surround her. She instantly recognized the muffled voice that cried out. The captain always did have a keen sense of timing. As the guards made an outer wall, using their sheilds, the captain cried, "Don't give them an inch, men! Protect the princess with your life!"

As if he heard a cue to step forward, the rebel leader rose from the audience and turned to address them.

"Is this how your princess acts? To hide behind those with power when she, herself cannot do anything? I say, enough! We shall take power and we shall use it to overthrow this vicious tyrant. Who's with me?" The crowd cheered, rallying behind the rebel leader. The princess stood still at these words. After all this time, she never held her kingdom. Now, her kingdom was lost to either the rebel leader, the priest, and even the captain. All this time, no one followed her.

"If you were truly brave at heart, Himemiya, you would face me alone in combat." As the crowd agreed with their crimson-eyed master, the princess knew what she had to do. She would lose the kingdom's pride with honor, and she would die for her loved one. It was clear right from the start what she had to do.

"Very well, I accept."

The captian's helmeted face met with Chikane-hime's. "You can't be serious, Miya-sama! Don't fall for his tricks! You can still win if you be-"

"Enough." The princess commanded. "This is my wish. Would you dare defy my wishes, Captain?"

For a moment, the captain said nothing. Finally, mustering up what little courage he had he announced, "No. I'll do whatever you say. I'm not like that bastard, Kazuki. Men, let the rebel leader in, but only the rebel leader." The men hesitently did so. As the rebel leader drew out his broadsword, the princess drew her thin blade.

"_For my Kingdom._" The princess thought, charging it. "_For my Himeko._"

* * *

The sight of Shirosaki shocked Himeko. As it snorted and paced around a small patch of grass, Himeko couldn't help but hear the horse-beater's story again. Its coat was pure white like a virgin snow. The thick muscles bulged out of the otherwise small arms and legs. Even the eyes were as Abuki described them: twin moons drowning in a swamp of black. What Abuki didn't mention was how its thick tongue was black as well. There was no doubt about it. Himeko looked at the horse and smiled. _"This is the horse of the Gods._"

Himeko giggled as she began to run and leap for the horse. "Thank you, Ame no Murakumo! Now, Shirosaki-kun," The girl smiled as she mounted the horse, "Let's go save-"

Himeko didn't react fast enough as she was flung off the horse and her skull hit headfirst on the tree branch. She ached and winced realizing what had happened. Her head pounded and rang as she dizzily rose up and watched Shirosaki snort with fury. She watched helplessly as it charged at her and turned at the last second, causing her to wince. The horse seemed to be mocking her. _"No, it is mocking me!_"

Himeko then understood the context of the goddess' words. "_If you desire the aid of the Gods so badly, earn it!_"

She shook her head. The truth before her couldn't be true. She couldn't break any horse, no matter how unruly it was. "Shirosaki-kun, please. Please, I need your help." The horse galloped in front of her, and stood on its hind legs. Using its front legs to kick in front of her, it was satisfied making the girl wince. Himeko couldn't believe this. The only way out of the forest was to ride this steed. But Himeko didn't want to do anything so cruel.

"Please, Shirosaki-kun! I don't want to fight!" Almost immediately, Himeko watched as Shirosaki headbutted her in the stomach. She began to gasp in pain and fell to the forest floor. The pain induced her to spew out the taste of bile in her mouth. Tears began to gather in her eyes. She didn't want this. She didn't want to harm such a beautiful creature, but her love was at stake. As if all the life was being drained from her, her mind began to overflow with thoughts.

_"Your kingdom's a spoiled bitch,_" The Spaniard king said, mocking Chikane-hime. "_Everyone knows when someone whines, you slap them and tell them to shut the hell up!_" Himeko felt her stomach almost split open. _"What good is power if these horses don't know I have it?_" Himeko understood. She hated the thoughts that flowed through her, but she understood. As staggered upwards, trying not to cough up blood and stared at the white horse, staring at her with yellow eyes.

"I'll...I...I don't care what happens. I have to break you!"

With those words, she flung her arms around Shirosaki's thick neck. Himeko wouldn't be surprised if she mistook the horse's neck with a soft tree trunk. As she held on, Shirosaki began its firey gallop. Himeko didn't want to look, but the blistering wind and the clouds of dust made her want to see what had happened. She gasped and nearly screamed. The forest floor, or what Himeko could recognize, had become a streaming river of mud and leaves. Whenever the horse turned or swerved, Himeko could feel her body shifting with the current. But she wouldn't let go. She wouldn't surrender her only answer to save the princess.

Then it hit her. The horse ran its left side against a tree trunk, and the blunt of it smashed her nose. Himeko felt a thin, warm trail of liquid running down her nose, but refused to let go.

Then, Shirosaki ran through a thorn bush. Himeko forced her mouth into silence, not even moving from when the thorns had stuck to her legs or how some of them had scrapped her elbows. She winced and cried in pain, reluctantly. Himeko couldn't fail here. She couldn't. _"All this time, I haven't done anything for Chikane-chan but hurt her. But if Otoha's right, if Otoha's right, then I'm the only one who can save her. I have to save Chikane-chan!_" Himeko felt Shirosaki's frustration as it leapt several times in place, rattling the girl's entire body. But she wouldn't budge. Her will had become solidified.

As a last ditch effort, Shirosaki ran underneath a thick waterfall. The sheer speed of Shirosaki along with the crushing gravity of the waterfall nearly toppled Himeko off. The stings of each drop made her grip weaker and wore down on her mind. _"Can I count on you to be there for the princess when she needs it?_" She could here Kazuki's words, his false words ringing in her mind. _"All this time. All this time, I've been listening to him. Now I realize, there's only one person to listen to. And that's_..."

As Shirosaki nearly crashed to a halt, Himeko mounted the horse. She dug her nails and her teeth into Shirosaki's thick back.

"No...I'm not going to let go of you. I'm not going to listen to you anymore. Because...because from now on, I'll...I'll listen to my instincts!" Her small and high-pitched voice rang out through the forest, inciting silence from all around. As Himeko held on for dear life, something changed. The pace became slower. The landscape wasn't shaking or rushing past her. She gazed as her arms held on the horse's white neck and eased slowly. She had done it. She had beaten Shirosaki.

"Let's go, Shirosaki!" Himeko felt the world fly by as Shirosaki ran at a great pace. She couldn't help but whine a little as trees and branches flew past her. Instantly, she recognized some markings and directed, or at lest tried to direct, Shirosaki to that direction. As they stopped, Himeko slid off of Shirosaki's back. She felt the world shake as she recognized her home tent. As she left, she turned back to the white stallion.

"Stay." Himeko commanded. The steed refused to listen as it skittered and snorted all the way.

"I said, 'Stay'!" As Himeko's voice commanded, the horse obeyed. Himeko ran inside of her tent. Ignoring what little trinkets she used to own, she searched her pack, the floor, even the mat she slept on. But it wasn't there. _"The knife?_" Himeko thought. "_Where's the knife? Nobody's here, so I can't ask them. I...I have to go._" And without a glance back, she left her old home to find her love. She panicked, seeing the rebel camp abandoned and not a living soul there.

As she mounted the white horse, she prepared to go towards the battle. Then, a revelation hit her. _"To think that Love alone can defeat the physical barriers of this world. How naive." _Himeko looked up at the clear sky, feathered with clouds to realized that Ame no Murakumo was right. No matter how hard she fought, or how much she loved Chikane-hime, she couldn't defeat the rebel army on her own. _"Unless..._" Himeko didn't want to take this action, but she had no choice.

With a sigh, she turned her horse in the other direction.

* * *

Within the white corridors of his castle, The vulgarian noise sat on his marble throne, hard and stiff. As he laid back, trying to get more comfortable his fraccion couldn't help but notice that he had frowned subtly. Many commoners might have mistaken that he was merely annoyed. But El Rey's fraccion knew it would be unwise to cross him, for he was in a foul mood. As footsteps echoed through the halls, his entourage couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated with his present face.

The halls of Pantera's castle could have fit the mood there, light yet dark. The architecture consisted of smooth white marble for every structure. Every tile, every column, the table and the chairs all were of smooth marble one could run his fingers through. On the other hand, the castle was completely absent of light with the exception of the holes that acted as windows. Because of the superior positioning of the windows, it rarely felt dark in Pantera's walls. It just felt like there wasn't enough light.

The only one bold enough to approach El Rey, Shawlong, elegantly stepped forward with his hands behind his back and approached the Vulgarian noise. "Sir?" He said in a steady fashion. His voice couldn't help but quiver a little when he had approached the Spaniard king. Even one who had the composure of Shawlong couldn't remain calm for long.

"I've just received word that the rebels have made contact with Mahoroba. If we depart now, we can make it just in time."

The blue haired king bent forward and crossed his fingers. He thought carefully as he said, "Our horses are better than Himemiya's." His deep bass voice revealed his annoyance and his brows showed frustration.

"Of course, sir. We've always-"

"That's not what I meant." All eyes turned to El Rey, sitting on his hard throne. "Our weapons are better than Himemiya's. Our government is better than Himemiya's." He stood up and bashed his palace gates open. The bright sunlight revealed a sea of white soldiers, standing at the ready.

"Our army is better than Himemiya's. Therefore, _I_ must be better than Himemiya. So why doesn't she bow down?" His bass voice became rough and throaty. For those few moments, no one spoke a word. Anyone wise enough to hold their tongue would be able to keep their jaws intact during the Vulgarian Noise's rant. This applied to everyone, except the newest member of the group.

"Oi, El Rey!" The bandaged Di-Roy asked. "Why don't we just go in and kill everyone? She'll have to bow to us then, right?" Little did he know, he incurred the wrath of El Rey. Slowly, the beligerent king rose up, stepped towards the one who spoke so carelessly and grabbed him by his scruffy blond hair. He then dragged Di-Roy to a nearby wall and began smashing his face against it.

"What's...the...point!" He asked, taking a break after each smash of the wall, with Di-Roy's face. "What's the point if I can't beat Himemiya? Even if I kill everyone there, she still won't bow! Goddammit!" He cursed and threw Di-Roy's face off to the side. He furrowed in frustration, feeling the effects of the princess of Mahoroba. "What I can't figure out is what changed. She was practically at my feet the other day, and now she pulls this higher-than-me crap! If I can just figure out what had happened-"

All of a sudden, there was a commotion outside the castle gates. El Rey motioned his entourage to find the source of the noise. As they looked out the window, they came back and addressed the Spaniard king. "It's the woman who cut your face."

* * *

Himeko Kurusugawa was in a new world. On her white steed, she found a kingdom, not of castles or of wooden houses. Rather, she beheld red smooth towers leaning on one side. She saw people, as different and ecentric as they were, wearing the same white uniforms and oddly enough demonic white masks covering their faces. Most of all, however, she spotted the tallest tower, signifying El Rey's residence. As she galloped her white horse, she past clothed guards swinging their katanas and blew up white sand with each step.

Even with the sky as pure and as blue as this, a sinking feeling pulled her stomach down. There was little time to spare and if she couldn't convince the Vulgarian noise to aid her, she would be alone. _"Please, tell me I'm not too late. Please tell me I can make there in time._" As she finally told Shirosaki to halt, she was met with guards blocking the entrance of the gate.

Immediately, she recognized the figures. The numbers 11, 13, 16 as well as the other numbers at the Himemiya castle stood before them, drawing their katanas out. She winced in fear, but regardless, dismounted the white steed.

"Please! I need to speak with El Rey! Can I-" Himeko gasped seeing every katana forming a circle around her neck.

"I'm afraid that El Rey will not be seeing you." The chinese man spoke. "We will instead have the pleasure of killing you."

"Yeah," Said the bandaged man, blood fresh from his face. "Why would El Rey want to see you anyway?" For the first time in her life, Himeko wasn't scared of the men. As frightening and gruesome as it was to have her head decapitated, she wasn't afraid of these men and the swords they hid behind. Fresh tears began to run down her face. All this time, she felt scared of only one thing. _"Chikane-chan, all this time I've been afraid for you. I was too afraid to admit it and I was foolish doing so. Chikane-chan, no matter what happens, I have to be there, and I have to tell you that I..._"

Himeko's thoughts faded. She knew the one weakness of the Spaniard king.

"If your king," She began slowly, unsure how she would say her words, but the vision of her love dying gave her the courage she needed. "Tell your king that if he's a real man and, tired of fighting little girls, and wants a real fight, he should come speak to me!"

The whole kingdom stood silent at this response. Himeko had done it. She used the king's pride against him and if she was right, her love would be saved. But if she was wrong, and incited her own death, then the princess would die as well.

"Why you little-" Before the sentence was finished, the doors bashed opened. Himeko beheld the sight of the Vulgarian Noise, his eyes furrowed, his two jaws gritting their teeth and a deep panted breath rushing out of his nostrils. He stormed and pushed past the men, grabbing Himeko by the neck and holding her up, suspended in air.

As Himeko's throat was being crushed by his thick fingers she heard the following words. "You little bitch!"


	16. Brave

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios.

(**A/N:** You may have noticed I updated a whole day early. Well, there's a very good reason for that. See, Aloness is beating my fanfic's ass by releasing his/her fanfic "Capturing a Heart" a day after mine. Therefore, everyone would be running to see "Capturing a Heart" instead. So, in order to prevent that, I have to release my fanfic a day early. So here I am, because a better writer beat me to it.

...Oh, and check out this song. It's really good.)

"Brave", performed by Idina Menzel, is copyrighted to 2008 Warner Bros. Records Inc. for the U.S. and WEA International Inc. for the world outside the U.S.

**Brave**

* * *

_"If this is the moment I stand here on my own  
If this is my right of passage that somehow leads me home  
I might be afraid but it's my turn to be brave  
If this is the last chance before we say goodbye  
at least it's the first day of the rest of my life  
I can't be afraid 'cause it's my turn to be brave"_

_-_Idina Menzel

* * *

The princess, Chikane Himemiya, had fought for hours. On the dirt, surrounded by all the citizens of Mahoroba, she parried each blow from the rebel leader's sharp blade. It didn't help matters that her opponent was just as strong as she was. Unfortunately, this was not a test of muscle nor was it a test of endurance. Simply, it was a test of will. Her will, usually steady and unmoving, had become drained out of her. Part of her wanted to keep fighting for it was her right as a princess. Another part of her, the majority, told her to throw her sword down. In truth, she felt tired, more tired than anyone could imagine. Fatigue did not attack her body, but her spirit.

As she blocked yet another blow from the rebel leader, she heard his taunts once more. "Is that all the great Himemiya can do? Is this who we've had protecting us? I say, no more! Down with Himemiya!" The crowd seemed to surround her and joined in the chanting. "Down with Himemiya! Down with Himemiya!" They urged for the royal blood to be cast down. Her blade seemed duller, as did her will. She have a brief sigh and took a battle position once more.

"Just give up!" The rebel leader cried, as he circled around her. "Don't you see? You, the spoiled princess, have done your part in ruling this country. We don't need royalty or nobles to dictate how we shall rule. No, we shall only have the people's voice. And what do the people say?" As he turned to the crowd, they chanted once more. "Down with Himemiya! Down with Himemiya!" Chikane-hime watched as her entire kingdom turned against her. _"No._" she thought. _"Not my kingdom. This was always my father's kingdom, or my mother's kingdom. Never once, did I rule these people. Could I have done better? Should I have done better?_" She shook her head. Now, the situation had become too far out of hand.

"Face it!" The rebel leader yelled, as the crown pushing forward against the circle of guardsmen. "You've always been pampered and fed while the rest of us starved. You shined your brilliance upon us, showing how flawed and imperfect we are. Tell me, what do you have to be miserable about?"

The princess bit her lip. She wasn't going to show any sign of weakness. She was weak once, but no more.

_"What a spoiled brat." She had leaned against a pillar and heard one of them, the young overdressed men waiting to be her suitors. "You think someone like her can smile a bit more. I mean, I wish my kingdom had as many guards as this." Of course. They never understood. Nobody did. She was forever alone. She was alone and yet nobody saw that. No one could look past the money, the power, all the things that defined her before she could even speak. In a word, nobody saw anything else besides a princess. _

_She looked into the deep blue pool, seeing the cool water shift slowly in the moonlight. She crouched over and felt how inviting the icy cold water was to her. She looked back, seeing all the arrogant suitors, false in their intentions. At least in the water, she could be free. Slowly, she leaned inwards, wanting to feel more of the icy cold water. Then, she dove in, the cold becoming her blanket. She wanted to sleep, sleep until the world around her was nothing more than a nightmare._

_Her dream was shook open when her eyes spotted a figure, diving towards her in the water. 'A mermaid?' she thought. Sadly, it was only a man, in a white priest's uniform. As quickly as he could, he began to drag her out of the pool. She cried in protest, not wanting to leave her deep sleep. But the hand held tight. She was pulled up, air forced into her breath and shook awake. All around, all the maids, the suitors and the Elders stared at her with grim looks on their faces._

_The man dragged her through the ballroom. The bright chandelier candles showed how her white dress had become soaked and dripping with wather. She felt all the eyes and the whispers pass by her. She played them off as naturally as she could, but at this point, she stopped caring. The world had become a blur to her. She no longer felt obliged to these people. As the door to her chambers was open, she was shoved to her bed._

_Her eyes had become fazzed and foggy. Nothing mattered anymore, nor should anything matter._

_"You think you can just die on me?" The man spoke. The princess didn't bother looking up from the green locks that dragged down. The priest was always lecturing her. She stopped listening. "You think you can do something so selfish and get away with it?" The princess simply stared at the floor, as if nothing mattered. "You do not do these things in this kingdom! How dare you do something so foolish and idiotic at the same time? I won't let you get away with this, you pampered child!"_

_She stared at the floor, wanting to lay on it forever. "If you have a death wish so bad, then earn it! Your father died while fending off an assassin. Your mother died trying to stop poverty in this kingdom. But you? You don't deserve to die. You haven't earned it."_

The princess woke up from her daze and realized what had happened. The rebel leader had rushed forth for yet another pitiful strike. She blocked the overhead shot, but silently looked at all the people there. _"Himeko..._" She thought. Then, she felt her fingers let go as the blade fell tip first into the earth. The audience gasped as did the royal guards. She looked at the crowd, hoping to find that glimpse of sunlight. She couldn't. As princess began to sit with her legs tucked underneath her thighs. "_Himeko. I know you're out there somewhere. Even if I can't see you here, at my weakest moment, I'm glad. Live happily, Himeko._"

She began to wait. She heard the crowd's anticipation, the captain's orders not to interfere and lastly, she heard the rebel leader's sword cutting the air. The princess waited for the blade to end her life, when she heard something else.

"Chikane-chan" She blinked. _"Even now, God wishes to toy with my emotions._"

"Chikane-chan!" Her eyes broke opened, realizing the voice was not an illusion. Soon, the rebels around her began to hear the same thing too.

"Chikane-chan! Chikane-chan!" It was that pure, high-pitched voice of an angel. It was the voice that gave her hope. Soon, she rose from her seated position to spot a white stallion, with a simple girl riding on it. The princess shook her head, realizing how fast the horse broke through the thick of rebels. _"Himeko,_" The princess thought. _"You fool! Why, why did you come? No. There's still a way. There's still a way to save you._"

* * *

"Ow, Saotome-san! Quit pulling!" Souma cried, being dragged towards the middle of the conflict.

"You coward." Makoto Saotome smirked. "I thought you wanted to see the princess be slain."

"Look, I've been waiting for this for a long time as well. But my brother gave us orders to stay at camp."

The auburn-haired girl looked at him with a suspicious look. "You think I'm going to miss out on this because you're too eager to listen to your brother?"

"I'm saying-Wait, do you hear something?" They moved their heads, as if imagining the noise. They soon, however, realized the high pitched voice, and who it belonged to. They turned around to find the golden haired girl, riding on a white stallion, breaking through the rebel defenses.

* * *

Himeko held on for dear life as the white beast began to ram through the crowd of rebels. She nearly failed to dodge the various blades and pitchforks that were aimed at her. Her breathing became short. The very fact that she was rushing through this was astounding. She feared of failure but she couldn't fail, not after coming all this way. She rode, alone, through the patch and leapt the final line of guards only to land. She dismounted her horse, seeing the princess, beautiful as always. She merely dodged the rebel leader's blade and tackled the princess, causing both of them to fall.

"Chikane-chan! Chikane-chan!" She sobbed, her tears running into the princess' robe. "You promised, Chikane-chan! You promised that you wouldn't die alone! You promised!"

But as quickly as she tackled the princess, the azure-haired royal pushed her off, her eyes began to fill with a dark hate.

"Get away from me."

Himeko couldn't believe this. It was as if the princess was just as cold as the night she banished her.

"Please, Chikane-chan! I want to-"

"I don't need your help. I can take care of things of my own."

"No, Chikane-chan, please, I need to talk to you"

"Get out of the way!" Tsubasa commanded Himeko, his crimson eyes narrowing.

"Don't speak to her like that!" The princess' voice rose with each passing argument. As if this were some sort of joke, the audience watched with eager. Himeko didn't care if the world or the Gods were watching. She had to do this.

"Please, Chikane-chan! You have to listen to me!"

The princess turned to her. Himeko whimpered, seeing the cold hate in the princess' deep blue eyes. She never saw such anger, nor such hostility from Chikane-hime. She simply stood still, seeing the princess eye her down.

"Listen to you?" She screamed, looking at the girl. "Why on earth should I listen to you?"

"Because I love you!" Himeko watched the princess' reaction to the forbidden words, realizing what she had said. It was if for that brief moment, the world stood still. Himeko watched as the guards, the rebels and even Tsubasa were frozen by these words. Perhaps, the very idea was so impossible, that it caused a shock to all parties, Himeko included. However, the false peace was short lived, seeing the princess' angered face once more. Perhaps, the princess wouldn't be swayed after all.

"You love the princess, don't you?" The azure-haired girl responded in such a dark tone, she captured the attention of the entire kingdom. "You just love the princess, like everyone else in this kingdom!"

Himeko shook her head furiously. "No, Chikane-chan! That's not what I-"

"I'll tell you this. Love me, put me up in statues, adore me, praise me to no end, slander me, insult me, even kill me, but just don't come close to me!" The princess quickly showed Himeko her back, leaving the blond with a confused look on her face.

_"She's angry at me, but why?_" Himeko gasped in realization. _"Was it because I...I bowed down to her before she banished me?_" Himeko's amethyst eyes blinked wide open, realizing what had happened. From the people, to the Spaniard King, to the devoted fans, to the maids, Himeko realized her fault. _"When I bowed down to her, I recognized her as a princess. I'm no better than everyone else. All they saw in Chikane-chan was a princess. When they should have seen was a..._" Himeko's thoughts faded. She rose up, and spoke out loud.

"I don't love Chikane-hime or Miya-sama, the daughter of the king and queen. I love Chikane Himemiya. All this time, I've been a fool. I've seen the real you, and I didn't recognize it. You like to play the piano, and you love to ride horses. You love your people and would do anything for them, but you were scared, unsure if you would fail or not. I know this, and I want you to know something." Himeko took in a deep breath, and breathed the following words, hoping for the best.

"You can cry too, Chikane-chan."

It was if the princess' ears were finally awakened to Himeko's words. Her pupils had shrunk to a significant size. Her mouth had quivered. Her entire body began to still at these simple girl's words in disbelief.

"What?"

"All this time, you've been trying to become the best, didn't you? People saw you as perfect or as some kind of goddess and never talked to you. And all this time, you made calm and gentle faces to make sure no one could see the real you, didn't you? But you don't have to hold your tears back, not with me. If you cry, I can be your handkerchief. And you can cry with me, a simple girl. You can cry too, Chikane-chan."

The princess' began to lash out. Her arm swung in a direction, but Himeko caught it by the wrist.

"No! You don't understand anything. You don't-you don't" Himeko watched as fresh streams of water fell from the princess' face. She watched as the princess tried to shut those tears, but her arms could not wipe them all away. She began to sob furiously, as the arm that tried to strike Himeko, soon embraced her.

"Himeko," Chikane sobbed gently. "Thank you."

"It's okay, Chikane-chan. It's okay." The audience stood still to the scene that played before them. Himeko didn't care. She could have died then and there, because she was in the gentle warmth of the princess. She felt the audience stir, and the rebel leader lose his patience. She didn't know what would happen, but as soon as the silence began to end, she heard a baritone roar.

"Himeko!" The blond turned to see the priest in his uniform and oblong hat, yelling from behind the guard line.

"Oogami-sensei?"

"Himeko, listen to me!" The man urged, while being blocked by the royal guards. "I understand."

Himeko's face lit up with joy. The way Kazuki said it, fatherly, lovingly, made Himeko smile in delight. She not only found hope, but she once again found the man who had cared for her all this time. She felt glad.

"And I'm telling you," he spoke, "It's not worth it."

Himeko gasped. All of her hopes and her joy had drained in an instant.

"Don't choose your alliances over simple infatuation! There's no way you can survive! There will be...other women! It'll hurt but not for long." He put his hand forward, offering it. "Come with me. Come with me and we can live happily in the new world. Come with me, and I could be your father."

Himeko watched, looking at Chikane's shocked reaction and Kazuki's calm and forward manner. How could he? After all this time, how could Kazuki abandon Chikane and Himeko? Himeko shook her head, and held on to the princess' arm tightly. She wouldn't let go, not after all she had been through. She wouldn't let go ever again.

"You see?" Tsubasa cried, addressing the audience once more. "You see, how these whores stomp on your religion to satisfy unnatrual lusts! What say you, my people? What fate should befall these harlots?"

"Kill them both! Kill them both!" They cried and roared with cheer as he took his broadsword and dragged it to the ground.

They never saw her.

Himeko and Chikane had nowhere to run. Chikane, took her blade from the ground, eager to defend her love, while all the guards could do nothing but watch.

She was so fast, no one saw her running.

As Tsubasa raised his sword demonically, Himeko guarded Chikane with her body. She saw the blade come down and shut her eyes. She did expect the blood and the sound of cutting flesh. What she didn't expect was that none of the blood belonged to her. She opened her eyes, to find her body clean and a set of auburn hair blocking the sword with a small dagger and a right shoulder.

"Mako-chan!" Himeko cried, seeing her best friend guarding both of them.

"What are you doing?" Tsubasa cried, his anger waning.

"I might be confused," Makoto said determined. Himeko noticed she took one look back, looking both at Himeko and her love. "Okay, really, _really_, confused, but I won't move. I won't let you hurt my sister!"

Just as she held Tsubasa's blade in a steady position, a sound of thunder rang out. Himeko gasped seeing, a rock pass through Makoto' right calf.

"Ahh!" Makoto cried, falling to the side, holding her seering leg.

"Go ahead with what you were going to do, Tsubasa-sama." Himeko didn't even need to look to see who was behind it. Miyako's voice was rarely unrecognizable.

"Now," Tsubasa said in a sickening voice. "I'm going to cut you down like the traitor you-Ahh!" Himeko watched as Tsubasa clutched his foot. She realized it was Makoto's doing, stabbing the knife into his foot. Himeko couldn't help notice the blade had said, "Tsuba-", assuming the last of the letters were embedded into his foot. As he winced and cry, Himeko tried to drag Chikane to a different place.

"What are you waiting for?" He yelled, addressing the audience. "Shoot them! Shoot them both!"

"No!" Kazuki cried, trying to reach for the blond, only to be blocked by the guards. All the rebels aimed their new weapons at the two figures running. The cold steel ends were ready to explode. Even if they ducked, the rifles aimed at their feet would've hit them. So Himeko did the only thing she could have done. She wrapped her arms around Chikane and held her close, making sure any bullet that would hit her would hit Himeko as well. As if one last brief moment, Himeko whispered to her lover's ear.

"I love you, Chikane-chan."

"Of course you do." As they held each other close, the heard a million cries of thunder roar out.

The results were catastrophes. Any ore that aimed for the two girls either missed and hit another rebel, or the guns exploded in the arms of the rebels, giving them severe burns. Himeko was amazed that only two shots had grazed them: one on Chikane's left shoulder and Himeko's right side, missing her stomach. As they held each other, they heard the rebel leader scream. "You idiots! Didn't I tell you to perfect the weapon before we left? Why did you load it with so much cannon powder!"

As if this were a brief moment of relief, the lovers gasped, seeing the rebels beginning to charge through the imperial line. The circle began to close in as they looked at each other with gentle eyes.

"Oh Himeko," Chikane whispered with a smile on her face. "All I want now is to die here with you."

Himeko watched as the captain and his men began to lose ground. Those with the weapons still in their hands began to put more gun powder into them, readying another shot. Makoto and Tsubasa, injured, lay on the ground, holding their wounds. Kazuki tried desperately to stop a few of the rebels but to no avail. Himeko gave one final look to Chikane and asked a simple question.

"What...what if there was another way?"

Chikane, her azure hair blowing in the wind, looked at Himeko with doubtful eyes. "What?"

"Chikane-chan," Himeko breathed, trying to find the words to say before they died. "What if there was a way to live together, to be together forever, but you had to give up everything you worked for? Would you do it, even if it meant losing your kingdom, even if it meant losing your entire culture, even if it meant we would hate each other decades later? Chikane-chan..."

The azure haired girl looked at Himeko with honest eyes, wide with innocence.

"Would you accept my burden?"

Even now, Himeko could see Chikane's answer in her smile. Her eyes and her face had reach a certain beauty. They had grinned so sincerely, Himeko could see Chikane's tears well up. They both knew the answer to that question.

"How can anything of yours be a burden? Yes, Himeko. I would give it up a thousand times for you." Himeko wrapped Chikane around her arms and stood on her tip toes. She grabbed the golden watch, Makoto's gift, and rose it up in the air. The rebels pushed forward. Breaking through the line, they prepared to strike both girls dead, but suddenly several arrows brought them to a halt. They stopped and looked at each other when a single arrow hit the center ground.

That arrow lit aflame with a light blue light.

All of a sudden, sounds of horses' neighs and the marching of troops came out of the forests. The rebels and the guards watched as a sea of white had flooded the forest. Demons, wearing broken masks, and in white robes marched towards them. There only a sole figure led them into battle. His jaw gave a wide grin, as he led his army to the footsteps of the rebels. Himeko sighed. _"Please. Please, keep your part of the bargain. Just let me and my love survive. That's all I ask_." Himeko winced, unsure if she could see what would happen next.

One by one, they unsheathed their katanas, and prepared to strike.

"Grind, Pantera!" The Spaniard king cried. And they did, unsheathing their swords, bearing her teeth.


	17. La Prescencia del Espanoles

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios. Any and all cameos are copyrighted to Tite Kubo.

**La Prescencia de los Espanoles**

Slaughter was not the appropriate word for Pantera's battle tactics. Genocide was. As the soldiers in white masks rushed forth, the rebels tried desperately to fire their imperfect weapons at them. Whichever random bullet actually hit a soldier, only provoked them further. Some of the rebels tried to fight off the rushing sea of white with their blades and pitchforks. They died first, having received lethal slashes. Those who tried to run, were only delaying their end, for Pantera had cut them off on both sides. Arms and legs separated from their bodies. Heads were split open. Throats were slit. People died begging for their lives.

The battle had barely begun, and the rebels all knew that their defeat was at hand.

Himeko, holding the azure-haired girl in her arms, dragged her to the ground. As they lay on the ground, Himeko urged Chikane to crawl on their bellies. As a body nearly fell on them, they found Makoto Saotome, still holding her calf in pain.

"Mako-chan!" Himeko yelled through all the cries of rebels dying. "Are you alright?"

"Himeko," Makoto shouted, having to stop seeing the body stop before them. She gave a painful wince, but responded none the less. "If we die here, I want to know your friend's name. My name's Makoto Saotome."

The other girl calmly introduced herself. "Hello. My name is Chikane Himemiya."

"Nice to meet you, your highness, I'm really-" The three girls screamed, seeing more corpses pile before them. Himeko couldn't help but notice the chaos around them. She felt guilty of bringing Pantera here, but now wasn't the time. She chose the right decision and now she would accept the consequences. _"Wait..._" Himeko gasped, realizing who she had forgotten.

"Mako-chan! Where's Oogami-kun?" Himeko asked, covering her head from the sounds of battle.

"Oogami-kun?" Chikane asked, curiously. "Do you mean Oogami-sensei?"

Makoto screeched, rubbing her leg. "I don't know where Souma-kun is, but I think he should be near here."

"Wait, Oogami-sensei has a son?"

"Wait, Oogami-kun's father is here?"

"I have to go find him!" Himeko yelled. As she got up to charge through the battle, the azure haired girl pulled her down, and tackled her. Himeko struggled under the weight of the taller girl. Himeko wasn't sure if Makoto wanted to help free her or restrain her. As she struggled, she yelled to her lover, "Let me go, Chikane-chan! I have to find them!"

"No!" The girl screamed, pushing the girl under her weight. "I won't lose you! Not after we almost lost each other. I-I can't do that again. Please, just stay with me. Please." Himeko paused to see the girl form tears under her eyes. As selfish as it was, Himeko wanted to be held by Chikane forever. However, she couldn't abandon her old life. She held Chikane tightly, whispering in her ear, "Then let's go together, Chikane-chan."

The azure-haired girl smiled and nodded her head. Even with all the chaos that surrounded them, they held the moment of peace between each other. As they started running, the helmeted captain blocked them.

"Allow me to escort you, your Highness." Both of them nodded their heads, as they ran. The demons in white cloths were maddening. They gave inhuman cries to hacking at dead corpses and crushing skulls. Himeko shielded her eyes from all the blood spilled and all the lives lost. As the guard blocked several crazed rebels charging at them, they noticed the emerald-haired priest on his knees, quivering in his own world. They sprinted to him, leaping over corpses.

"Oogami-sensei!" Himeko cried, as she reached him. As she tried to shake his body out of a daze, the priest remained in his silent fear, not noticing the bodies before him. "Oogami-sensei, we can still leave, but we have to hurry!"

"They're here..." Kazuki spoke in his daze. "The Spaniards have arrived."

Himeko knew that Kazuki wouldn't move from his spot. She tried desperately to get him to bend down or play dead, as some of the other rebels had done. But Kazuki held his stance, his amber eyes looking up to the sky. Chikane urged Himeko to find the other Oogami, and for once, Himeko agreed. Her heart beat so fast, she felt faint. With the captain's protection, it wasn't long before they met with the black haired boy, staring at the scene before him. Frozen in place as if his legs were broken, she witnessed the blue-haired king talk telling Tsubasa to get on his knees.

Tsubasa did so. As did he followed El Rey's command, the Spaniard king gave a long speech, knowing no rebel could touch him. Himeko could instinctively hear the world 'God' as El Rey beat his chest. Tsubasa nodded. And with that, El Rey put one end of his arm through the crimson-eyed man.

The king's right arm was drenched in Tsubasa's blood. He immediately ripped it out, as Tsubasa fell to the side.

After that, the battle died down significantly. Many of the white ghosts had stopped butchering people and gathered, sheathing their katanas. They all huddled in a circle, amazingly around the princess and the rest of the followers who still lived. Among the rebels were Makoto, clutching her leg, Souma, traumatized from the murder, and Kazuki, still quivering in fear. It was amazing that half the population still lived. One might consider it a quarter, since many of the rebels had lost limbs. As the Spaniard army kept the formation, the Chinese man from before had stepped forward and approached both the girls, now standing and holding each other in their arms.

"Pantera would like to accept the invitation you so graciously gave."

Chikane turned to see Himeko, clutching her arm in a very comforting manner. She held her close, and asked, "I see. Tell me, what are the terms of this invitation?"

The Chinese man laughed. "Have you really forgotten? In exchange for letting a set number of people live, and you remaining head of the state," He held his breath, as if he wanted to extend the moment.

"Mahoroba shall be annexed to Pantera." The crowd whispered. Many shocked and gasped at the very idea of this. Those too slow and dim-witted to know the definition of 'annex', asked their neighbors around them. Of course, such explanations weren't necessary, as the azure haired girl responded.

"In other words, you shall control Mahoroba."

The Chinese man laughed. "Not I. El Rey shall control this place, as it will be renamed to his liking. Princess, I hope you're not going to back down on your promise." He smirked, as if signaling each men to draw out their katanas and aim it a someone's neck.

"Because if you did, it would be most unfortunate." As the demons came closer, Himeko felt Chikane's grip tightened. She could hear the whimpers of the old men and the new widows, but most of all, she heard laughter. Some of the white clothed Panterians, less than subtle, had gave a loud snicker, as if they wanted Chikane to refuse. Himeko held on Chikane's arm. As the taller girl looked into her amethyst eyes, it was if they talked, and understood each other. Eyes that said, "_This is the only way." _

"Very well." Chikane stated. "I accept." The Chinese man smirked, signaling the guards to lower their katanas. Himeko could see the look of distain on may of the rebels faces. Possibly the only thing that protected the two of them was the now present military force surrounding them. As some of the demons parted the middle to create an opening, an ominous figure arrived. Himeko held Chikane tightly, seeing his light blue hair, his eyes full of life and his pale muscular arm still drenched in blood. He held his hands within his pocket as he slouched towards them.

He looked at Himeko holding Chikane by her arm, and then at Chikane wrapping Himeko around her waist and then at Himeko once again. She knew that look. His disgust for their love wasn't surprising, but she didn't care. Himeko didn't care who stared at them with ugly eyes, or accusing faces. She found the one she loved, and for once, she would wear such things with pride.

"Tschh." El Rey mocked. "Whores."

He showed his back and spread his arms, showing his victory, "This state is mine. I'll make sure your people don't start this ever again. If you run, I'll kill them all. If you disobey me, I'll kill them all. Hell, even if I'm having a bad day and you piss me off, I'll kill them all, because I am the king."

He turned his head, looking over his right shoulder. "And when I mean all of them, I mean your little bitch too."

"Oi, El Rey." One of the king's entourage whispered loudly. Himeko recognized the bandaged man with the number 16 on his body. "Look who it is." The man pointed off to the side. Himeko watched in horror as the man they talked about was none other than the emerald-haired priest. Then, the king laughed. In actually, he bellowed, giving off a bass laugh not unlike a hyena's cry. As his laughter died down, he went over to the priest.

"Kazuki," he shouted with a grin on his face. "Kazuki, is that you? Hahaha! I thought that bastard Himemiya killed you, but look at you, a man of religion! The Himemiyas sure like their traitors, don't they boys?" The rest of his entourage laughed, and continued to mock the priest, still on his knees. Himeko looked on in confusion as Chikane stood forward. The blue-haired girl stepped forward and addressed them. "How do you know Oogami-sensei?"

"Sensei?" the king with the deformed jaw laughed. "Sensei? Did you hear that? She called him sensei! Oh, god. Baka, don't you get it?"

Chikane shook her head, unsure if she could understand what was going on. The king grabbed him by the collar and propped him up.

"This man used to be my lieutenant general, and served under me before he went soft and joined you." El Rey's words caused Chikane to gasp. Himeko gasped as well, with a large number of the rebels. They were unable to comprehend that Kazuki was actually under the Spaniard king's entourage for a short period. But the dead and frightened look on Kazuki's face gave the truth for Himeko to believe. Chikane was doubtful of this statement.

"No," Chikane answered. "Oogami-sensei's the most loyal man-No he betrayed you with my mother and father, not during the war! He-he didn't-"

"Baka," The king smirked, looking at the girl. "What did you believe? Tell me, how does that old story go? A bunch of farmers and two spoiled noblemen try to create their own kingdom?"

Himeko's eyes opened, recalling something important. _"Trust me, you don't want people like that as your allies._" Kazuki said that. How did he know unless from experience?

"Then, they not only have the money and the food to beat us, but all of those strategies as well, even though all of them sat on their asses while the rest of us served in war?"

_"Remember, I fought with Pantera once._" Himeko gasped. Usually to fight _with_Pantera meant to fight alongside them. If Kazuki had fought to stop them, he would have fought _against_ them.

"Or did someone help them? Did someone betray my ranks, went soft and stole my plans and gave it to them?"

_"You wouldn't realize how quick they are to betray their own allies._" Was Kazuki referring to himself?

"No! These are lies! Tell them, Oogami-sensei!" Chikane held her breath, seeing that Kazuki was too dazed to move from his position. "Oogami-sensei?"

"Baka! If you don't believe me, take a look for yourself!" He ripped off the priest's shirt, revealing something that stunned the whole audience.

17.

The number 17, was branded on his right shoulder. Like the numbers 6, 11, 13, and 16, it was part of his body. Among it, there were several scars and burn marks on it, as if there were attempts to be rid of it. But it stood out, none the less.

"C'mon, boys. Let's leave the Himemiyas to their traitors. Since we burnt the camp on our way here, we don't have to worry about a forest invasion. The rest of you, start occupying the city. If anything smells rebel, kill it!" As the mass of masked troops left, Chikane screamed at the priest, wanting him to deny such a claim. She screamed and her voice shrilled until it had become sore.

No response ever came on that dirt field. Realizing this, the princess gave a heavy sigh and ordered the captain and the remaining men to take Kazuki Oogami to their possession. As they bound his arms, and confiscated his oblong hat, they walked him past a familiar boy, crouched over the rebel leader's corpse. The former priest looked at Souma with distain, and halted his march.

"You bastard." Kazuki said to his son. "You couldn't have died like I had wanted you to, and now look at us. Traitors to a Spaniard king. I hope you're proud of yourself." As the emerald-haired man was pushed on his way, Himeko and Chikane supporting a staggering Makoto up and walked over to Souma Oogami, traumatized by the scene. They saw only his back, but his voice gave shape to what foul temper he was in.

"Don't touch me." His usually smooth voice had become rough and calloused. Slowly, Makoto tried to break the serious tension.

"Hey, at least we're still alive, eh, Jin-sama?"

The boy gave no response. He crouched over the dead leader and held it tenderly in his arms. His set of charcoal hair nuzzeled the torso of his brother, and he rose up, silently letting it go.

"You killed him, Kurusugawa." He said, looking in a far off direction.

"No, Jin-sama!" Makoto cried out, cutting off Himeko. "Himeko didn't kill Tsubasa-sama. It was that blue-haired king. You know that, right?" No response came. Makoto, furious at Souma's accusations, reach forward and touched his shoulder. "Right?"

She whipped him around to see an angered face. "Don't touch me!"

The three girls gasped, as did any other onlookers. Oogami's face had been completely contorted. Lines of rage and fury had deformed his face into something monsterous. His usually gentle and calm dark eyes had shrunk to a miniscule size. But, most noticable of all, was the purple seal glowing on his forehead. It's aura and it's design matched something like ancient symbols of cresent moons and blazing suns. He was no longer the same person Himeko knew.

"You sent your dogs out there to kill him! You made-You made him beg for his life! You killed him before my eyes before that blue-haired bastard even touched him. And worst of all, you knew my father, and didn't even tell me!"

Himeko's eyes began to fill with tears. Slowly, she tried reaching out and touching the Oogami boy, but her hand was swatted away.

"And for what? This-this...whore? You and I are friends no longer, Kurusugawa. Today, we break our bonds. From now on, we are enemies." He walked the other way, his seal still glowing a bright purple.

"Jin-sama!" Makoto cried out. "Where are you going?"

The boy turned his head over his shoulder. "Didn't you hear? The rebel camp's burnt to the ground. Someone has to rebuild it." He smirked and stepped away, not noticing the blond haired girl, bursting into tears into the taller girl's chest or the auburn haired girl crying out for him. In the end, he didn't listen at all. And he vanished.

* * *

"El Rey," Shawlong said, coming next to him on a tall hill. They watched the sun set on the new kingdom. "What shall we name this new state?"

The Vulgarian noise looked at his hand, and spread his fingers, making it seem the whole kingdom was in his grasp.

"Just as the panther has claws," he stated in his bass voice, "so does Pantera. Desugaron."

"Panther's Claw. A wise name, El Rey."


	18. The Repentant Traitor

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios. Any and all cameos are copyrighted to Tite Kubo.

**The Repentant Traitor**

_Often used in children's books and films, he starts out as a clear-cut villain, who is sent to infiltrate and betray the "good guys", but is won over by the kindness/goodness of the good guys and builds up a rapport or changes their actions to save a loved one on the "good guys'" side. Sometimes his defection is caused by abuse or a betrayal from the main villain. Changes side to join them, but in this almost always loses their trust in admitting to having worked for the enemy, and at this point becomes a true traitor in betraying his (or her) original side. Almost always killed or severely wounded in this change to the good guys. A repentant traitor can also be someone who was the main villain but was betrayed by someone who worked for them and helped the good side after being treated with kindness._

* * *

_The streets of Mahoroba were wet as they were cold. But nothing flooded the streets as much as rumors and talk about death to the king and queen. Even on the warmest of days, another rebellion had begun. When freedom to talk began, the rebellion began. Critics to the king and queen were rising up everyday. People would stand on boxes and street corners cursing out the royalty for supposedly 'not sharing power equally'. If it wasn't for the guards, the palace would have been burnt to the ground._

_But not today._

_Today, the rain created the perfect environment. The drops poured so heavily, they rattled the rooftops of every hut, made the streets wet with dirt, and soaked his clothes to the chill. He looked around slowly, through the sheet of water the rain had created. Here, he would find his solution. Today was the only day he could operate. He continued to get his long hair wet in the rain, and gazed around. The rain weeded out the weak and the cowardly from the desperate. Here, he would find the one he was looking for._

_Then, he heard the quick splash of footsteps followed by a poke to the back. He turned around. _

_The poke came from a knife, shaking in a pair of young hands. The boy seemed to grit his teeth, his crimson eyes showing determination, but his body seemed weak, fragile. It constantly shook in the rain, and his rags didn't protect him any better. His light green locks dripped with water soaked into each strand. His stance was wide spread and therefore, flawed. He could have been easily tripped or grabbed by the testicles. However, the most significant of all was his eyes. Their crimson glow showed something other than raw hate or uncontrollable rage. They showed the will to overthrow the king and queen._

_"That's a nice knife," he spoke reaching out and grabbing the weak wrist. He twisted it fiercely, not breaking it but enough to ellict a childish scream throughout the rain. "How unfortunate that you don't know how to use it." The boy twisted and turned, and responded by biting the man's hand and moving away._

_"Don't be stupid!" The boy grabbed his knife and held it in both hands. "All I want is your food. That's it. You try to grab me again, and I'll cut your eye out."_

_He looked the boy over. He was defiant, brave and rebellious. He was willing to stand up to someone stronger than him, even with the possibility of losing. In other words, he was perfect._

_"I have something better than food." Slowly, the man reached behind his back and undid the lashings that surrounded his shoulders. He grabbed the package, struggling and wriggling as he pulled out a small child, no older than three. The child had gags around his eyes and his face, and his arms were bound by rope. The boy looked at the child and held him by the arm, for he was too heavy. The man smirked and explained, "It's a 'Souma.' I'm sure he'll be very useful to you in the future."_

_"Can I eat him?" The boy said, looking at the bound child. _

_The man chuckled. "I'm sure you could, but what would be the point? If you feed him before you feed yourself, he'll follow you, obey you, even worship you. He'll admire you and best of all, he'll die for you." The boy simply looked at the child, and patted his black hair. He seemed to smile as the man went back towards the palace. The boy looked at him with suspicious eyes._

_"Wait!" He shouted, the rain almost muting him. "There's something wrong with him, isn't there? If he's so useful, why don't you take him with you?"_

_The man turned around and smiled. His emerald hair was getting soaked into his priest's uniform so he wanted to end this quickly. _

_"Isn't it obvious? He and I will eventually fight one day. It's better that neither of us are on the same side._"

* * *

Makoto Saotome's fingertips ran over the gold medallion she was awarded. She thought her eyes were deceiving her, just as she thought they had deceived her when the princess had given her the award before a clapping audience the previous day. But as she held the medallion to the edges of her fingertips, as she felt the smooth edge of the coin as wide as her thumb, as she ran her fingers over the smooth hill and the jagged edges of the horse's mane, she knew it to be true.

She nearly would have lost sight of her surroundings if not for her bandaged calf. She winced a little, rubbing it, still unable to comprehend the beauty of the castle. True, she had been acquainted with the beauty of the crimson halls before, but seeing the so-called Hall of Justice, was a marvel to behold. She never knew architecture would allow a narrow space to become circular and allow people to sit up so high. Up on the panel, she witnessed her friend near the top with the azure-haired princess. As she waved up high, she was followed by a baritone voice. "Makoto Saotome, I presume."

She turned to see the emerald-haired priest, bound in chains and smiling. He was the center of four surrounding guards, all carrying a chain. Rather than the clean white priest's uniform he had on the other day, he wore brown rags, covering every inch of his body. Where an oblong hat used to be was now bare, showing his flat edge above his skull. He smiled and looked at the girl.

"How ironic." He gazed at the medallion, his hands still bound in chains. "If my side had won, I'd be the one carrying the medallion around my neck and you'd be in chains, at the very least."

"Lucky for me, then." Makoto responded with a determined look. She wouldn't let anyone who would have let Himeko die be forgiven.

"Yes, in fact very lucky. Tell me, what was your strategy if Pantera hadn't gotten themselves involved?"

Makoto looked at him fiercely with her emerald green eyes. "I would have stayed by Himeko's side, no matter what."

"I see..." The man responded in a disappointed tone. "It saddens me to hear that. You had so much potential in you."

The auburn-haired girl yelled fiercely, hearing this. "I'm not like you. I won't betray my friend no matter what happens!"

The priest smiled as he was dragged to the center. "Don't worry. You're still young. There's plenty of chances for you."

* * *

Himeko couldn't help but feel a sinking feeling in her heart seeing her mentor be dragged in chains. His appearance had become untamed since the last time they spoke. Himeko, high above, could see that the clean white priest robes were exchanged for brown rags. The oblong hat that usually sat on his head was absent. His hair fell untamed, green strands over his face. But worst of all was the cold, unfeeling look on his face. Instead of the warm smile Himeko had known and loved all this time, she was greeted with a taut frown, showing how serious and unfeeling a man could be. She whimpered a little, only to be caressed by a gentle hand. Chikane smiled, hoping to comfort the young girl.

Everyone attended. If Abuki's trial was the hearing of the century, then Kazuki Oogami's trial would be the hearing for a millennium. People crowded the courtroom, wanting to hear what had become of the supposed 'loyal' Kazuki Oogami. Children, hags, and noblemen attended the court hearing. Most notable, many of Pantera's soldiers had stood by the side, listening to the hearing as it began. They still wore the same white demonic masks that Mahoroba had come to know them by. Their white robes had remained the same as before: covered with drops of blood.

The audience came to a silence when the surviving Elders gestured. The most powerful Elder, only lower to Himeko and Chikane, began to read off the parchment, his voice somewhat hesitant.

"Kazuki Oogami, you are hereby charged with conspiracy, murder and treason of the highest degree. How do you plead?"

"Guilty," The emerald-haired man said quickly and somberly, "To all charges."

The audience shared the same reaction as Himeko: shock. They never realized that Kazuki would give no resistance, no argument. Himeko shook her head. She couldn't believe after all this time, she still wouldn't hear the truth. That couldn't be true. It just couldn't be.

"Very well. As for your sentence, you will be imprisoned to the dungeons for the remainder of your life. Would you like to say anything? Anything at all?"

Kazuki shook his head. "What am I to say? How I regretted nothing? How what I believed in was supposedly right? I won't waste your time with such petty speeches."

Chikane rose from the highest seat and gripped her hands into fists. Himeko felt scared, seeing her love in such a rage. She wanted to calm Chikane down as much as she wanted to hear Kazuki's reasoning. However, the latter choice won as she let Chikane yell out to Kazuki.

"Oogami-sensei! Tell me the truth. Now."

The former priest turned to her, rose his head and looked into her dark blue eyes. "With all due respect, your Highness, I owe you nothing. You can do anything you want to me, but I don't owe someone like you anything."

Himeko watched in horror as the man turned around and began to march through the door. All this time, she felt as if she understood the gentle man, but in truth she knew nothing. She wanted to be a part of Kazuki's life just as much as she wanted to be part of Chikane's life. She bit her teeth as the sadness began to take over her heart. The audience began to mock and boo at Kazuki, something she hated. Her amethyst eyes began to water, as she stood up. _"I have to know. I just have to know after everything that's happened._"

"Oogami-sensei!" Himeko yelled, silencing all noise in the room with her high pitched quiver. "I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry that you have to go through this, but please tell me! Please tell me what happened because I-I" The blonde broke down to tears. She felt her head become stroked by Chikane's soft and comforting hand, as she began to compose herself.

Somehow, in some strange way, Kazuki heard her. His eyes widened and his cold expression became much warmer, the lines of his face gently lifting. He gave a slight smirk and turned to Himeko.

"Dry your tears, Kurusugawa-san," he spoke in his warm voice. "If it pains you that much, I'll tell you. But, I expect you to listen closely as I won't be repeating this again." He turned to the crowd and addressed them.

"I expect all of you to pay attention. You might just learn something."

He turned back to Himeko and began his tale.

"You see, I was one of fraccion to the Vulgarian Noise. Unlike many, I saw war on a daily basis as the Vulgarian noise loved to fight for conquest. I, along with a select few, joined the king as we slaughtered thousands, all for the sake of power and reputation. Eventually, our little campaign paid off as he eventually came to power and we lived comfortably in his castle, Las Noches. Like many, I was blinded by power to realize that our prosperous time would eventually come to an end."

"Luppi..." Himeko stated in a hushed voice.

"Perceptive as always, Kurusugawa-san. You see, Luppi eventually came to the conclusion that he could take the place of the Vulgarian Noise. This, of course, started the war that changed everything for me. I had no family. The king and his shadows treated each other coldly, so I did not consider them friends. The only thing I had was my reputation and my honor, something Luppi took away from me. We fought against Luppi's forces fiercely and without mercy. Because of his short temper and his easily broken pride, the Vulgarian Noise eventually rushed into a trap, therefore damning the rest of us. As they held us by sword point, the Vulgarian Noise was robbed of his throne, and became nothing."

Himeko nodded. She wanted to hear all the story, not just Kazuki's fall but Souma's involvement as well.

"It was then I realized how different things were. As I walked the streets of Pantera, I noticed people looked at me and at times would mock me behind my back. They had called me a traitor, a follower of the old ways. I couldn't buy food or live at a home because people had seen how disloyal I was. I understood what a hero was. Heroes are nothing more than traitors who happened to be on the right side at a fortunate time. Therefore, I was a traitor. I was apparently part of a tyrant's entourage and was nothing more than a foot soldier."

"What did El-The Vulgarian Noise do about it?" Himeko asked curiously.

"Nothing. All he did was follow orders to conquer more lands and obeyed them. He talked about how he would take the throne back, and how he would put his fist through Luppi's heart, but it didn't matter. He talked like a madman, and I stopped listening. The same could not be said about his shadows, constantly following him. I found someone else. She was different, like a star shining brilliantly amongst a sea of darkness. When we talked, I had found something right in my broken world. My wife, Maria."

Himeko stood silent for a while. She spoke up, "What-what did she look like?"

Kazuki scoffed at the question. "Turn to the princess. Describe how she looks like in a few words."

Himeko turned her neck towards Chikane. Himeko could have said how her hair was a dark blue and how her eyes matched them. But, there was so much more to her beauty than just simple colors. There was a living being to her. There was life in how her blue hair gently swayed in the wind, and how her darkened eyes reminded her of the ocean, and how her thin and tall body could hold so much strength and yet could be so lonely, so cold in certain darkness. Himeko's mind lit up. To describe Chikane would have been too long for her heart had wanted to express every bit of detail of her love, from her body, to her smile, to her heart. Himeko shook her head.

"I can't. You would never understand unless you saw her."

"Then you'll realize why I won't bother telling you. I will say this. My wife. She was...soft. Everyday, as my wife, she would tell me to believe in my ideals, in my own sense of right and wrong. She even bore me a small boy. How pitiful. Then, of course, _your parents_, Chikane-hime, had decided to defect from us and create their own independent kingdom, Mahoroba."

Himeko sat silently, listening to the speech.

"Guess whom Luppi assigned to handle this situation."

"So you and the Vulgarian Noise fought against Chikane-chan's parents?"

"Him, me and many others. But most importantly, my wife had joined the conflict. We thought that Pantera's forces would overwhelm the rebels. Little did we know about how plentiful Himemiya's resources were and how frivolous he was about spending. When he outlasted us, using superior resources, we were mocked once more. It wasn't anything we didn't hear before. We were charged with every accusation possible: treason, incompetence, conspiracy. But that wasn't what drove me out of Pantera. It was when the Vulgarian Noise decided to rush the Himemiyas in a foolish attempt to overwhelm them. And when my wife volunteered to head the blitz."

A slience ran through the room, as if they were paying respects to Kazuki's loss.

"That's when I knew that there was nothing left for me in Pantera. Even if I took it upon myself to strangle Himemiya by his fat neck and murder his wife just as he had murdered mine, my Maria was dead. All I had was my stripped honor. I knew Luppi would never give me that honor. His vanity was a sure sign of it from the start, building those statues and surrounding himself with mirrors. And the Vulgarian Noise kept babbling about how he would eventually take his revenge on Luppi. No, if I wanted any shread of honor, I would need to beg for it from Himemiya himself."

"You're willing to beg for your honor?" Himeko asked.

Kazuki smirked. "You're so young. You haven't the slightest idea how valuable it is. Yes, I was willing to beg. However, I knew the guards would kill me on sight, regardless of what I had asked. So, I took a guard's armor and charged through the throne room. There, in my state of misery, I begged King Himemiya to slay me and restore any shred of honor I had. Would you like to know what your father told me, Chikane-hime? What he was like in his youth?"

Chikane gave no response, knowing that Kazuki would respond.

"In truth, Chikane-hime, your father was a kind bastard."

Chikane gave a subtle frown at this.

"I'll never forget the words he told me. He said that he would kill me, but I would gain no honor from it. Instead, he told me that I would have to earn it. I would have to work for my honor much like peasant would have to work for his bread. He told me that if all I could do was betray, then I would betray for him. He used me. Me! And for what? To forward his idealistic and naive dream of freedom for all, a place where we wouldn't have to answer to Luppi. But, that's not important. All I knew was I had a choice: continue fighting a losing war and being mocked for my incompetence or betray my wife's ideals and join Himemiya. I'm sure you knew what choice I picked."

Himeko nodded, urging Kazuki to continue.

"When I dissented to Himemiya's side, with his resources and my military intellect, it wasn't long until the Vulgarian Noise was humiliated once more and I was on the winning side. As suspicious as it sounded, Himemiya kept his word and promised not to reveal my secret to anyone else provided that I would serve him from now on. So a new kingdom was born and my honor had been restored. At first, it felt odd when people started smiling at me and greeting me with such praise. However, I got used to it, finally realizing how easy it was for 'honor' to be gained. But I knew it couldn't last. Eventually, I saw signs of protest and rebellion. Critics and out speakers were everywhere and the guards did nothing to silence them. Eventually, another war would break out, and I had to prepare myself for it."

"So what did you do?" Himeko asked.

"In short, I raised you, Chikane-hime. You were a prodigy, possibly the genius of our time. You simply weren't smart, but athletic, strong-willed and beautiful as well. I knew, that if war would grip the kingdom again, you would be the center of it all. So I raised you. I taught you to fire a bow and arrow, to ride a horse with elegance, to sing with a blade. I thought that you of all people could defeat the new rebels and rebel leader. But you wouldn't mold in the direction I wanted you to. Instead of always thinking of the kingdom, your mind wandered and thought of other things. You stared at the moon constantly when you should have looked over your kingdom. Isn't it ironic? After all these years of raising you and mentoring you, you found strength in a little blonde girl."

Himeko felt Chikane rub a side of her face, caressing her. They looked at each other and smiled.

"So that's it. I wanted honor and reputation for a lifetime. I chose the wrong side again, and I am a traitor once more. If you'll excuse me, I want to live the rest of this tiresome life in the dungeons."

"But!" Himeko cried out, unsatisfied with his answers. "What about Souma-kun? Why did you want him dead? I thought he was your son."

Kazuki grinned and shook his head. "Do you know what the purpose of a child is? To constantly whine for food? To become a burden on the parent? No, it is simply to further the family name in his honor, or better yet, fix that honor. Imagine how the great Oogami name bore loyalty, how one would slaughter his own flesh and blood for the sake of his country. That's why I gave that brat to the rebels, know that one day, Oogami would be considered a loyal branding. When the rebel leader told me Souma was dead, I was tricked into believing all my well laid plans had gone awry, so I had to act fast to gain honor."

"But why?" Himeko cried in her childlike voice. "Why did you do it? I thought you loved your wife. Why did you betray someone you loved?"

"Betray?" Kazuki responded. "You are mistaken. She betrayed me." Himeko shuddered at the sound of this. "When we had gotten married, we vowed to live long lives so that we may spend it together to the point where we would grow old together. When she had died on that battlefield, I knew how shallow her words were. Humans are capable of many things. If they are dedicated enough, the mind can override such physical weakness. So when my wife had died on that battlefield, rather than struggling to come back to me, I knew there was nothing left for me there. So, I burnt my uniform, stabbed my katana into the ground and left, never returning again."

The audience became silent at this. Not even the youth wanted to make light of the situation. The priest's words burned truth into their minds, realizing how fragile alliances were during war. As Kazuki was nearly dragged away, he turned and looked up.

"Himeko Kurusugawa." The priest spoke. "A few words of caution before I am dragged away."

Himeko leaned in to listen.

"You have damned Mahoroba to the Vulgarian Noise." Kazuki's words caused Himeko to gasp, hearing something so painful.

"In no more than a year, the Vulgarian Noise will send his arrancar troops to occupy the city. Mahoroba shall become a military state with guards as far as the eye can see. Your positions of power, your privileges, it will all be gone. The rich culture will be replaced by a puppet government designed to worship the Spaniard king. And most of all, every man, woman and child will wear a white Hamaka. I just hope for all this freedom lost, for all this history lost, for all this culture lost, it was worth it."

"Yes," Himeko said proudly, turning to Chikane. "Yes, she was."

* * *

He stood on the edge of the bridge, hearing the smooth crashing of the waves. His legs had taken him far on his journey, but he wasn't the least bit tired. He balled his palms into fists and followed the path, covered in dead leaves. He felt the familiar mist as he entered the cave, hearing nothing but the sound of his own footsteps. When he finally reached the back of the cave, he noticed a miniature shrine with a gate that he had never seen before. Above, as always lied the pit of nothingness, staring into him.

_"Souma Oogami,"_ it said in its multiple voices. _"Why have you come back here? I thought you had taken a higher path."_

The boy knelled down, his purple seal glowing. "I wish to learn from you. I want the power that you gave my brother, so I'll never face betrayal again."

The hole had no face, but from the sound of its voice, it seemed almost glad. _"Tell me, who are these traitors?"_

The boy rose up and showed his quiet fury. "My father betrayed me by abandoning me. My brother betrayed me by deceiving me. But worst of all, the only one I loved, the only girl I had feelings for betrayed my heart."

The hole seemed to understand through its long silence. _"Very well, sit with me. I'll give you the power you so desperately seek."_

The boy, his forehead glowing purple, sat down in a meditate position and made his palms flat.

"I am ready, master." And so he sat there, listening to the Orochi.


	19. The Future of this State

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Kannazuki no Miko. Kannazuki no Miko is copyrighted to Kaishaku and Geneon studios. Any and all cameos are copyrighted to Tite Kubo.

(**A/N: **Here we have reached the conclusion of this exciting tale. I would like to take a moment and thank Black Callballiere, marine-dreams, krugen, Squeaky Phantom and everyone else for all their consistent reviews and their constant inspiration the forwarded my writing. Whatever doubts or hesitance I had, you guys kept me going. I'd also like to thank my friends and family for understanding how busy I was writing this novel.

An most of all, I'd like to give a big thank you and shout out to **CrazyNinjaPenguin**. Without his fast betas and editing skills, this fanfiction would not have been nearly as good. If you haven't heard of this fine author, go search now! CrazyNinjaPenguin, it's been tough, but we pulled through! Enjoy!)

**El Futuro de este estado, Desugaron**

Everyone wore Hamakas. Everyone who lived within the state's limits was required to wear the white robe with a bottom resembling a kimono. They could alter it as El Rey did through various circumstances, but above all else, everyone was required to wear a hamaka.

Where Mahoroba was a chaotic state of anarchy and rebellion, Desugaron was a clean, functioning state with no critics, no outcasts, and no war. The architecture had evolved from simple stone castles and wooden huts into tall stone pillars that everyone resided in. There was one window so people may enjoy the Spaniard's king beauty as well as bronze statues that resembled him. The roof's surface was flat so that the arrancar troops could move more quickly in order to catch criminals and thieves. The kingdom of gray had become a state of white, where no rebel would dare survive.

The arrancar troops who replaced the royal guard wore demonic masks to protect their identity. They were also considered above and superior to the common citizen and therefore granted a katana and freedom to exercise such a weapon. As El Rey's eyes and ears, they protected the streets from thieves, muggers, and the occasional out speaker. No one ever died from the encounters. They were simply led into an alley, and they vanished.

There was no mention of king and lady Himemiya in the books for there weren't any books recording the trials of the rebel king and his bride. Whatever contraband material deemed 'hazardous to the minds and spirit of Desugaron' was immediately confiscated or burnt on the spot. The same could be said for roughly half the books in the royal library. When properly disposed of, the books were replaced with details of the rich Spaniard culture. Those who were literate and still alive, didn't give a single complaint.

The maids of the royal mansion were sent away. After a long and tearful goodbye to the former princess, they set off trying to make their fortunes in the new state. Many, who had no other skills than cooking and cleaning, were forced to work under El Rey's service where he sat happily in his castle, Las Noches. The head maid was never seen by the other maids.

The surviving Elders handed over whatever power they held and were sent to a resting home where stories of the Spaniard king were told to them. Oddly enough, those critical of the stories had died much quicker than they were expected to.

Mizu Abuki, acquitted for his crimes against the kingdom, danced happily and mocked whoever called him crazy. When rumor of a white horse passing through had reached his ears, he mounted the nearest horse and claimed that he would not return unless he captured the 'damned Shirosaki.' He was never seen again.

Kazuki Oogami would lay in his cell for the rest of his long life. Even through several escape attempts by other prisoners and the very persistent urgings of a boy with blond, feathery hair, the former priest refused to move. When asked why, he simply stated, "I'm too tired for such things anymore." Instead, he would lay in his cell, dictating his life story to those who bothered to hear it. He would eventually die of a stomach illness linked to food poisoning. He would be found out dead several days later.

Makoto Saotome lived peacefully as a citizen of Desugaron. She obeyed all the rules and made no criticism against El Rey. During one night, away from many guards and citizens, reports claim she went to the nearby forest whispering the phrase, "A hero is nothing more than a traitor." She agitated herself to the point where she flung a piece of thick gold metal into the forest. Said object was never found.

It is unknown whether or not Souma Oogami was involved with several attempts to sabotage the development of Desugaron early on. After many buildings and structures had been painted and broken into, many rumors circulated that the rebel had kept his word and was beginning a revolution. However, after several weeks of silence, the rumors died down. Speculation may point Souma Oogami returning to a cavern underneath a southern waterfall, never once leaving.

During his visits to Desugaron, El Rey happened upon a piece of paper that had his picture of a blue-haired, blue eyed demon with a deformed jaw. His flesh, giving him his current appearance, gave him the nickname, "Grimmjow Jaegerjaques." He liked the name.

As for the parties of Himeko Kurusugawa and Chikane Himemiya, an event would occur changing their lives forever.

* * *

"This is blasphemy!" The old man cried out. "How dare you defile our religion with your perverse idealolgy?"

"Because whatever El Rey says, it is law." The arrancar enforcer replied. "If she wants to marry her brother, her sister or a goddamn horse, it is only because El Rey allows it."

"I will not allow this! I am a messenger of God! I have the freedom of speech, don't I?"

Just as the old zealot would have caused much more trouble, he gasped only to have a katana stop inches from his neck, causing him to be silent.

"Sure you do, old man. Just as I have the freedom to let my sword loose anywhere I want. But if you're so careless that you let your throat be inflated with more of your nonsense, then there's no guarantee that it won't slip against my clean sword, is there? Now, what did you want to say?"

"...Bless the king?"

"Good." After sheathing his sword, the arrancar enforcer made a quick undercut to the old man's stomach. Naturally, his fellow patrolmen walked forward to aid him.

"This one's not fully 'enlightened' yet. Why don't you take him to an alley and do so?"

The guards took the old man back to an alley. According to witnesses, there was no old man.

* * *

"Himeko," Makoto whined, seeing the girl still in her marble bed. "Himeko, get up you lazy bum!"

In truth, Himeko didn't want to move an inch from her comfortable, yet hard marble bed. She had rested so peacefully that she believed if she laid still long enough, the bothersome Makoto Saotome would eventually abandon all attempts to wake her. For a moment, it had worked.

"Fine. I guess when you're late for your own wedding, I'll just have to tell everyone that you've been laying around, sleeping." As soon as Makoto had finished speaking, Himeko shot up, looking out the hole of the window. She hadn't realized how much of the morning had already passed.

"Oh no! I'm late! I'm late!" Himeko screamed as she rushed to her stone closet and threw out sets among sets of clothes.

"You shouldn't have stayed up so late then." Makoto smirked, as she looked at the small rose placed on the stone mantle. Usually, the arrancar would have confiscated such individuality, but Himeko had hidden it well. As she stepped out, Himeko revealed her wedding dress: a neatly trimmed hamaka with a kimono flowing to act as a train.

"What do you think?" Himeko smiled as she twirled around.

"I think it looks great," Makoto replied, knowing they had both worn the exact same dress. As Himeko, brushed her hair in the mirror, Makoto shifted slowly on the bed, taking a seat. Himeko noticed this, watching through the mirror.

"Mako-chan, what's wrong?"

The auburn-haired girl looked up and shook her head. "Nothing."

"No," Himeko gazed at her maid of honor with amethyst eyes. "You can tell me."

The emerald-eyed girl walked up slowly and held Himeko by the shoulders. "It's just that-You know, what we talked about last night." Himeko gave a sad nod, recalling the conversation last night. There had been a long and heated discussion about the arrangement of the marriage and what situations would arise afterwards.

"I know the risks, Mako-chan, but I'm willing to accept them."

Makoto gave a tight squeeze against the girl, taking a deep sigh.

"You really love her, don't you?"

Himeko only responded by giving an affirmative nod.

* * *

As Otoha aided the azure-haired beauty into her dress, Chikane could already sense the maid's anxiety throughout the morning. Her usual cleaning had become sloppy. She had gotten the wrong materials twice in a row. Then, of course, there was the constant shattering of the plates. Chikane turned to her, and looked at Otoha who wore her white hamaka very modestly. At first, Otoha ignored the blue haired girl's gaze and continued to sweep in circles. When Chikane grabbed one end of the broom pole, however Otoha stopped and looked at her with honest eyes.

"Otoha," Chikane asked in her comforting voice "What's wrong?"

"Ojou-sama, you know exactly 'what's wrong.'"

"Please," Chikane took a step back, and resumed touching up her face, "Not this again, Otoha. We've discussed this far too many times."

"How can I not protest?" The former head maid stepped forward, her hands tucked forward. "You're practically giving up what shred of freedom you have. How can I not worry about your safety?" Chikane sighed. Otoha's fears of El Rey's control had become hysterical. Rumor that he had manipulated marriage into a loyalty oath was nothing more than hearsay to Chikane. Anything and everything that mattered only stood a moment away. However, Otoha refused to remain quiet much longer.

"You know why he's doing this, don't you Ojou-sama?" Otoha began to pace back and forth, trying to find something dirtier to clean, something easier to fix than the ceremony. "He wants you to swear an oath to him. He wants to break you in a way that you'll have to beg him so you can marry this-this girl! Please, Ojou-sama, reconsider! Remember what happened to the young couple a month back. First they were fully committed to overthrowing El Rey, now they're just slaves like everyone else!"

Chikane refused to hear another word. with an assertion of her power, she turned around and gazed at Otoha with her cold eyes.

"I believe the law states it quite clearly, Otoha. Those not married will not consort or live with others. Besides, Otoha, that deviant king will never posses my heart. It only belongs to one person." Just as she finished, she heard a knock on her door. Both the former princess and the former maid rushed down the stone stairs to find a simple blond girl, holding a bouquet of lilies.

"Ready to go, Chikane-chan?" Himeko asked, trying to look her best in her white hamaka.

"Of course, Himeko."

As they locked arms, they marched towards the church. The road that used to consist of cobblestone and noise was now quiet, clean, and stable. When they had passed several vendors, they received polite bows and bowed back together. The feeling of disgust wasn't foreign, however, as Chikane noticed a familiar old woman sneer with disgust. However, other than the occasional frown or turn of the head, the arrancar enforcers made sure no other insult was made. As they faced the marble building, smooth and cylindrical, they gripped each other's hands tightly and entered.

They entered the church, first noticing the stained glass before them was a likeness of the Spaniard king, his jaw made open because of the two girls' actions. Light blue glass had complemented his hair while the rest of the glass matched his skin and his blanched white hamaka. They stepped forward through two aisles, and saw each row contained stangers who were unknown to them. They couldn't help but notice the arrancar troops standing on each side watching the audience as they struggled in their chains that bound them to their seats.

As they stepped forward, Himeko couldn't help but gasp at the sight of the pastor. Chikane held her and comforted her, being quite intimidated herself. The man looked like a spectre of sorts, his skin being abnormally white. Though he wasn't much taller than the blue haired woman, his unruly black hair had given him the appearance of an older man. But most notable were his eyes. Rather than a deep emerald like Makoto's pupils, his eyes were cyan, reminiscent of the depths of the green ocean waiting to consume someone. They noticed the marks running down his face, as if they were tears. He opened up his book, but refused to take his eyes off both girls. As he spoke, Himeko couldn't help but shudder with the emotionless man's voice.

"People claim that there are only two kinds of people in this world: those who are looking for their significant other and those who are still searching." Chikane couldn't help but smile at this description. It had seemed perfect for what their situation described. Chikane, for all of her young life, had searched for someone to call a friend. But when she had found it, she found something much more wonderful. As her heart began to bubble with delight, she nuzzed Himeko slightly by rubbing their cheeks together.

"But this is a lie."

Chikane and Himeko broke out of their trances to hear the pastor's heartless voice become even colder.

"Because there are only two kinds of people in this world: those who obey the authority who watches over them and those who do not. Those who obey the authority, will be granted happiness and protection from the king. Those who do not are just trash." The pastor took a moment of silence when he looked at both girls with his bright green eyes.

"Himeko Krusugawa, do you swear to use this binding as a means to better serve the king rather than just a distraction?" The pastor watched as Himeko nodded her head quite fiercely. Both girls knew how she had to lie in order to spend the rest of their lives together.

"Chikane Himemiya, do you swear to cut down Himeko Kurusugawa if she is suspected of treason?" Chikane nodded her head slowly, deceiving the pastor. She held Himeko's hand tightly, wanting the ceremony to be over.

"Do both of you swear to better serve the king with your bodies and spirits joined?" Both of them nodded.

"Then I pronounce you wedded. Do as you please." Himeko and Chikane turned to each other and wrapped their arms around each other's neck. They leaned in and kissed each other softly, brushing the other's lips. As their lips remained attached to each other, they heard an applause from the audience. It was a loud applause. It was a well-timed applause.

But, it wasn't a happy applause.

It felt hollow and false. It was if they applauded out of fear of the arrancar's swords than it was for their happiness. In fact, the only true applause came from two people. "Woo hoo!" Makoto yelled through the thick of the crowd. "You two look really pretty together!" As the applause died out, both of the girls ran out of the church, Chikane dragging Himeko alongside her. As they giggled in happiness, they went to their new home, identical to their old homes. Chikane, in a fit of spontaneous thinking, picked Himeko and cradled her in her arms. As they entered through the door together, they noticed many guards within their home.

As they entered through the corridors, many arrancar troops had been seated at their dining room and positioned near doors. Himeko and Chikane looked at each other curiously as Chikane carried Himeko up the marble stairs, only to find the pastor and a heavy set arrancar, seated leaning to their door.

"You will have the rest of the day to conduct your business." The pastor said in his cold voice as he opened the door. "Tomorrow, you'll have a lot of work ahead of you." Himeko and Chikane entered the room as the man closed the door behind them. Even if they couldn't have any privacy in their home, they could at least have themselves. Himeko nipped Chikane's neck furiously as she pulled off the white uniform. It wasn't long until both were completely bare and Himeko worked her way down to Chikane's slit.

Himeko paused as she laid Chikane down. The flesh before her slit used to be bare now had stubble and stands of unruly hair on it. It was as if Himeko looked into a black forest, now beginning to grow.

She was still beautiful.

* * *

Himeko woke with a stir, to find Chikane gone from her grasp. She rose up quickly from her marble bed, only to find the sheets stained and her lover missing. She rose up slowly, and scanned the room. The blonde's heart stopped pacing when she had caught sight of Chikane, standing to look through the window. Himeko got to her feet and embraced the azure-haired girl, giving a slight frown, content as she did so.

"Chikane-chan!" Himeko cried out. "Don't do that again! I was worried something might have happened to you."

Chikane wrapped her new bride around her waist. "Forgive me, I did not mean to scare you. I was just distracted." Himeko sighed with content as they gazed outside to see the moon, crescent shaped.

"They're putting up a new statue." Chikane whispered. Himeko realized, barely below the moon shone a golden statue of the Spaniard king. His grass-like hair, his wide grinned smile, even his jaw cut opened were all embedded in gold. They looked up, realizing that the statue had faced both of them and stared at both of them equally. As Chikane's hand began to shake, Himeko grabbed it and held it tightly. She pulled the hand up to her lips and kissed it slightly. They smiled and embraced each other.

They held each other tightly in the night as the King's eyes gazed down at them.

(**A/N:** Originally, I wrote this story out of pure spite. I had hated Kannazuki no Miko and was jealous that such a shoddy story could be admired. I also wasn't a fan of Tsuyazakura Kouyuki, and his fluff fanfics, such as Priestesses: Unchained, which I found gag worthy. Jealously ate at my mind as I, a struggling writer, became agitated and angry. However, as time passed, while I wrote the story, I discovered many things. After putting all of my creative energy into the work, I realized how difficult writers have it. And after reading some forum, such as and picking up the manga, I realized something. **Kannazuki no Miko is a good anime based on a crappy manga. **Honestly, it's poorly written, badly drawn and makes little to no sense. I then understood the position the anime studio was in when Kaishaku came to them with novel in mind. Given with what they had, the anime **did a pretty good job on telling Himeko and Chikane's story.** I guess what I'm trying to say is that I've made my peace with this series. Before, I was so filled with rage and anger, that now, I'm relieved. From what I've seen, I can only say one thing. **Kannazuki no Miko isn't the best anime, nor is it the worst. But it's pretty good Shoujo-ai.** (But I'll be damned if this is better than Mai Hime.)

Farewell, Kannazuki no Miko. I'm done with writing your stories. It's time to move on to bigger and better things, like Death Note.)


End file.
